Hope 2 Hire Blog / September 28, 2020

Formerly incarcerated individuals are an untapped sector of the workforce

On Aug. 1, 2019, the Senate passed a bill naming every September National Workforce Development Month. This month is dedicated to the education, training and development of the United States workforce, which is crucial to building our economy. However, one portion of the U.S. workforce is often overlooked and under-utilized.

According to the ACLU, 70 million Americans have a criminal record. However, nearly 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals remain jobless a year after release. Not only will they struggle to survive and provide for their families, but there’s also a greater likelihood they’ll return to prison if they do not find meaningful, stable employment. With nearly one-third of the United State’s population having some level of involvement with the criminal justice system, our workforce is missing out on a sector of potential employees who could boost our economy and, more importantly, create a life for themselves by breaking the cycle of recidivism.

At Hope 2 Hire, we’ve made it our mission to help incarcerated individuals find hope through second chances. We provide hands-on job training and skills development so that, upon release, our graduates have a greater opportunity to apply their knowledge and passion to a viable career path. We help our students through all aspects of the hiring process, including assistance with resume writing and completing job applications, interview preparation and etiquette – even dealing with bosses and coworkers once hired.

By providing skills and job training to incarcerated individuals, we’re creating a deeper roster of workforce development players. This can boost our economy, create thriving neighborhoods and communities and, above all, build happy, healthy families.

If you’re interested in learning more about Hope 2 Hire’s mission of second chances or would like to become an
employment partner, visit our website.