A new program is giving those who have been incarcerated the training they need to learn high-tech skills and to get high-paying jobs when they re-enter society.
“It’s a perfect opportunity to make a new beginning,” said Justin Ashford, who hopes to become a tool and die maker.
Ashford, 32, is a participant in the UMOS TechHire program, a federally funded initiative to provide accelerated training in technology fields and other skilled trades.
The four-month Computer Numerical Control training program, based at MATC, was made available to inmates in 2018. CNC machining is a process in which precision parts are produced through computer inputs.
Ashford and seven other participants were in the classroom for eight hours a day, five days a week and even some weekends to complete the intensive course. They received training in how to read blueprints, metrology as well as other technical skills.
For more about the program and its participants, read here.
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