CTE Programs Open Doors for People Who Are Incarcerated

The economy is evolving at a pace almost impossible to keep up with. Employers are increasingly prioritizing skills-first approaches to recruiting, hiring, and promoting employees over traditional practices that focus heavily on college degrees, underscoring the need for training to build an adaptable and skilled workforce—something that career and technical education (CTE) is uniquely structured to do.

At Jobs for the Future (JFF), we believe there’s an urgent need to extend more equitable training and advancement opportunities to people who are currently incarcerated, and CTE programs can play a pivotal role in achieving that goal. They offer practical hands-on training that aligns with labor market needs, providing pathways to stable, well-paying quality jobs. With the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for people who are incarcerated providing renewed access to postsecondary funding for an estimated 760,000 people, there has never been a more opportune time to expand high-quality CTE pathways in prisons.

Why CTE?

In early 2023, JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement launched the Postsecondary Education in Prison CTE Accelerator Network, a community of practice that supports institutions that are expanding access to credit-bearing CTE courses to people who are incarcerated. The network includes 18 participating institutions and 24 college leaders across 11 states.

People with records often face significant barriers when they rejoin the workforce following incarceration. CTE programs can help mitigate those barriers by delivering job-related training that connects learners directly to quality jobs in fields that offer opportunities for economic advancement. At the same time, the structure of CTE inherently requires collaboration between industry and corrections, enabling employers to recognize that these programs represent a powerful opportunity to access untapped talent. By participating in CTE programs for people who are incarcerated, businesses can join a broader movement toward becoming fair chance employers, strengthening their workforces with more diverse talent pipelines and breaking down barriers for justice-impacted individuals.

The reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility in 2023 has created an opportunity to expand the range of CTE offerings available to learners who are incarcerated. Facing barriers that make it difficult to deploy learning technologies and training equipment in correctional facilities, leaders of prison education programs must think creatively about which CTE programs to offer based on assessments of learners’ interests and ambitions and the needs of employers in the local labor market. Although there can be a stereotype of what CTE courses look like—with classes geared toward fields such as construction and manufacturing—programs can range across 16 sectors, including agriculture, food and natural resources; business management and administration; health science; hospitality and tourism; STEM; human services; and marketing.

CTE programs also have growing potential to link to quality jobs—those that offer not just a living wage but also stability, flexibility, and equitable opportunities for economic advancement, as well as a healthy organizational culture that promotes belonging and psychological safety. These attributes are especially critical for people who have experienced incarceration and are navigating the many collateral consequences—both personal and financial—of that experience.

Skills That Transcend Barriers

At JFF’s Horizons summit in July, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said, “High-quality CTE instruction is good pedagogy, as it gets students engaging with one another and having them experience the skills that employers are looking for. So, instead of looking at CTE as a side thing, it must be infused into the DNA of our K-12 and higher education systems.” Cardona shared his perspective as someone who participated in an automotive studies program, which he says prepared him for the work he does today.

CTE programs are unique in their integration of academics, practical skills like problem-solving and teamwork, deep career exploration through direct exposure to industry leaders, and technical skills training. This holistic approach prepares learners comprehensively for the workplace. By bridging the gap between education and employment, CTE programs help people develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in their chosen careers—and those qualities are especially important for those returning to the workforce after incarceration.

One of the most impactful components of a CTE program is the practical and tangible opportunity for career exploration, which allows learners to discover their strengths, interests, and passions. By fostering a sense of purpose and achievement, these programs can help people who are incarcerated envision and prepare for a brighter future and redefine their identities beyond their pasts. High-quality CTE programming also enables participants to earn credentials ranging from short-term certificates (in courses lasting six months or less) to associate’s and applied bachelor’s degrees. On average, a CTE credential increases earnings by approximately 14% for short-term certificates and up to 45% for associate’s degrees. Opportunities to achieve economic stability and advancement are crucial for people who were once incarcerated, because they often face significant economic challenges before, during, and after their sentences. CTE has been shown to improve their odds of post-release employment by almost 12% and to reduce their odds of recidivism by almost 16%.

Collaboration Leads to Success

The success of CTE programs for people who are incarcerated hinges on collaboration among various stakeholders, including correctional facilities, educational institutions, employers, current students, and alumni. These entities together can create a supportive ecosystem that facilitates skill development, job placement, and ongoing mentorship, maximizing the impact of CTE programs and ensuring a smoother transition from incarceration to quality employment.

Get Involved

High-quality CTE pathways are vital to creating more diverse, equitable, and advancement-focused education and workforce development ecosystems in our nation’s prisons. Leaders throughout the learn and work ecosystem can help advance this movement by becoming champions of CTE programs in prison.

Here are some examples of how you can help.

What you can do if you’re a current CTE program lead:

What you can do if you’re an employer partner:

What you can do if you’re a CTE program partner:

By taking actions like these to advance CTE programs in prisons, you can help ensure that people who are incarcerated receive the training and support they need to succeed in the workforce, ultimately contributing to their long-term economic advancement and normalizing opportunity for people who rejoin their communities after serving their sentences. We can transform lives and build a more inclusive and prosperous society.

Celebrating Recent Wins Throughout JFF’s Postsecondary Education in Prison CTE Accelerator Network