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Wis. program helps inmates find careers in manufacturing

A $700K Department of Workforce Development grant is paying for four groups of inmates to take introductory classes

By Meg Jones
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MILWAUKEE — It wasn’t until Marian Campbell embarked on the first leg of her journey to a new life and career that she began to realize just how much she takes for granted.

Like the number of parts that are assembled to make a motor vehicle.

“Before I took this class I’d never thought about all the pieces, I’d just get in my car and go,” said Campbell. “It’s amazing how much machinists make.”

Campbell is training to become a machinist through a unique partnership between Milwaukee Area Technical College and the state Department of Corrections.

Campbell, 50, is not a traditional student. She’s serving time after her probation was revoked following forgery and identity theft convictions in 2003. She’s part of a group of 14 students enrolled in MATC’s CNC (computer numerical control) program — 14 women serving time or on probation who travel to the downtown campus every weekday for eight hours of night classes.

The class, including Campbell, is scheduled to graduate this week.

“A mistake from 2002 brought me here, but it’s no mistake that I’m here. I’m here to make myself better,” said Campbell.

Because CNC operators are in demand by local manufacturers, wages are relatively high — $15 to $20 per hour — which provide offenders transitioning back into their communities jobs that can support families. A well-paying job is key, since people are less likely to return to a life of crime and incarceration if they can support themselves, said Sylvia Jackson, state Department of Corrections re-entry director.

“This is hope and opportunity for a second chance. Having a job and being connected to your community in a meaningful way will reduce recidivism,” Jackson said.

A $700,000 Department of Workforce Development grant is paying for four groups of inmates to take introductory CNC classes at MATC which will allow them to either get entry-level CNC jobs or continue further training in CNC or tool and die making at their own expense.

The first class enrolled 13 men serving time at the Felmers O. Chaney and Marshall Sherrer correctional centers in Milwaukee in the fall of 2014, with 11 graduating. Of that group, seven now have full-time manufacturing jobs, and one is enrolled for more training. The second class was comprised of 15 men serving community supervision. Because many of those students were working jobs and spending eight hours at MATC at night, the attrition rate was higher, and eight graduated.

The all-female group started with 14 this fall. All are on pace to graduate. A fourth class for male prisoners is scheduled early next year.

The program originated with Wisconsin Fast Forward training grant funds designed to promote vocational training in high-demand fields and help close a gap in the number of job openings and skilled workers, Jackson said. Vocational and technical colleges were encouraged to apply for funding to train Department of Corrections inmates.

Inmates must meet academic standards including a high school diploma or equivalency and math and reading levels of 9th grade or above, plus they must be within 18 months of release with a minimum of one year of Department of Corrections supervision after release. Tutoring was available for inmates to brush up on math and reading skills.

MATC machine tool instructor Mary Rooney has worked with the second and third groups. With three months of training, students can find good jobs as CNC operators or set-up operators, she said.

“They’re excited to learn, they’re interested and they’re hopeful. They ask, ‘What kind of job can I get?’” said Rooney, a journeyman machinist.

Employers come to graduation ceremonies. Some students have asked Rooney for references.

During a recent class, Cynthia Caldwell, 27, placed a 3-inch by 3-inch metal block in a vice and used an orange hammer to push it into place inside a CNC machine. She consulted a program, reading numbers out loud to her classmate to double-check tool length dimensions and radius.

Blueprint reading was the toughest part of the class, said Caldwell, “Bbecause you have to make sure what you’re looking at from every angle. I came into it not knowing anything about any machines or tools.”

Caldwelle has nine more months to serve on a felony drug conviction but is hopeful she can find a good job when she is released to support herself and her young daughter.

“I thought this was a great opportunity for women. It’s not just that you take this course and stop. There are more courses if you want to work up to journeyman,” Caldwell said.

Copyright 2015 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel