On November 8, 12 men graduated from the Orange County Corrections Department's Inmate Construction Program. In partnership with Valencia College, this program helps incarcerated individuals gain valuable construction skills to improve their chances of finding work after release and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
The six-week course is designed to quickly but thoroughly equip students with fundamental knowledge in construction, safety, measurements, hand tools, and blueprints. Each graduate walked away with a diploma and three college credits toward an Associate of Science degree in Building Construction Technology and assorted certifications. "If you want to reach a different destination," Valencia Instructor Richard Crotty told the graduates, "you have to choose a different path," according to an Orange County Government news release.
Norman Wilson, the senior pastor at Freedom Hall Church of the Living God in Orlando, delivered a commencement address that buoyed the graduates with a hopeful vision for their futures. "You need to make up your mind that you will succeed," he told the graduating class. As detailed by the Orange County report, "there's power in your mindset."
Since its inception in March 2016, the program has seen 313 students graduate. Two hundred eleven of these graduates have secured full-time employment, with 178 finding their place within the construction industry. Visit their official site for further details about the Orange County Corrections Department and its various programs.
