Started in January 2023, the Exit, Enter, Employ program in Chester County provides inmates with workforce training and post-release job opportunities, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The program offers help in writing a resume, certifications in several fields, and help with landing an interview for jobs that wait for participants upon their release. Since its inception, over 100 people have graduated from the course.
With a recidivism rate of just two percent, the program has been a major success, said Jill Stoltzfus, the program’s career-readiness coordinator.
“Everybody needs a second chance,” she said. “And I’m very candid with people when I interview them. Like, we’ve all made mistakes, I’m sure I’ve made mistakes that I could be in the same situation.”
According to Stoltzfus, the E3 program sets itself apart from comparable initiatives in county jails across the country by providing participants with a clear path into the workforce, strengthened by partner companies which are prepared to offer job placements upon release.
Program coordinators also check in with former inmates during the early months of employment to ensure they are adjusting well.
Read more about the Exit, Enter, Employ program being successful in Chester County in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Programs like Exit, Enter, Employ are all around the country.
