Plymouth Prison Holds Job Fair Aimed at Employing Inmates Leaving the Correctional Facility

http://959watd.com/blog/2016/06/plymouth-prison-holds-job-fair-aimed-at-employing-inmates-leaving-the-correctional-facility/

Most people know about job fairs, but it’s likely that not many know about a job fair that occurs at a correctional facility. And just such a job fair took place at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility on Wednesday.

Sheriff Joseph McDonald says this job fair targets a special group.

“This is a job fair aimed at getting employment for a very special population — that is our inmates who are re-entering society after having served sentences,” said McDonald.

Most of these inmates are just a few months away from being released.

“… they’ve all participated in vocational programming, educational programming and rehabilitative programming here,” said McDonald.

Preparation is needed because:

“… many of these guys have never been in a situation where they would speak to somebody with hiring authority of any type of legitimate business,” said McDonald.

Participation by potential employers has doubled since the re-entry program began last year, and one them is Chad Merritt of the P. A. Landers Company. He says candidates are interested.

“You can see how they’re laid back but at the same time confident with it, and also just determined with how they present themselves,” said Merritt.

And how would this employer rate this job fair?

“Overall, it was just a very well organized event — it’s been the best career fair I’ve been to personally,” said Merrit