TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Some offenders from the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility are now equipped with new skills to find work upon release.
WVCF held a graduation ceremony Monday at Ivy Tech Community College. There’s where the men completed a CNC training class.
CNC stands for Computerized Numerical Control.
The program helped the offenders earn certifications with the National Institute of Metalworking Skills.
They’re now ready to work as entry-level CNC operators upon release.
“I think ultimately they’re vital to success for my re-entry. Instead of just getting kicked out and not learning anything, now at least when I get out, I’ve got a tool and a skill trade I can use upon my release to go to an honest living,” says program grad Kenneth Hutsler.
Frank Littlejohn, Deputy Warden of Operations at WVCF, says, “They can hopefully be productive citizens and find an occupation that will give them a meaning and a way to support themselves, and the families, rather than possibly going back to the criminal behaviors that led them to prison.”
There are currently about 27,000 offenders in Indiana’s correctional facilities. More than 90% of them will eventually be released.
