Vocational/Life Skills Programs
Vocational/Life Skills Programs
Being prepared to work upon release is an important component to successful reentry and how we keep people safe. NDCS offers a variety of vocational and life skills training programs.
In 2014, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB 907, which allocated funds for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to partner with community agencies to provide vocational & life skills training to people while incarcerated, on parole or under probation supervision and for up to 18 months after discharge. The providers apply for a grant and are selected based on specified criteria. The current two-year grant cycle, which began in July of 2016, includes the vocational & life skills partners*** listed below.
These grant-funded programs, along with other vocational programs listed below, provide a variety of services intended to increase employability and reduce recidivism. They target the five stabilizing factors including: housing, employment/education, mental health, substance use, and supportive relationships.
| Program | Description |
|---|---|
| ABC Applied Construction Math |
This program provides learning in the area of construction math such as division, decimals/percentages, reading measurements, calculating area, linear measures, angles, volume, solving for the unknown. Need Addressed: Employment |
| ABC Construction Virtual Electric |
Provides general electrical wiring training as well as instruction on how to do proper household and commercial wiring. Need addressed: Employment |
| ABC Construction Virtual Welding |
Provides training in welding safety, basic welding information and welding defects. Will give participants the tools to make welding corrections. Need addressed: Employment |
| ABC Construction: Construction Technology*** |
Introduces masonry, carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing. Need Addressed: Employment |
| ABC Construction: OSHA Construction |
This program provides an overview of safety applications on a construction site as well as training on governmental regulations. Need Addressed: Employment |
| ABC Core Curriculum |
This program includes basic construction safety; introduction to construction math, hand tools, power tools, construction drawings, rigging; communication skills; and material handling. Need addressed: Employment |
| ABC OSHA General Industries |
This course provides entry-level information about employee rights; employer responsibilities; how to file a complaint; how to identify and prevent job related hazards. Need Addressed: Employment |
| Alpha |
Alpha promotes daily living skills and encourages character development. All classes are biblically based and open to anyone, regardless of religious affiliation. The program includes lessons on addiction prevention, understanding marriage, understanding parenthood and managing finances. Needs Addressed: Attitudes; behavior; life skills. |
| Associated Linen Management Certification |
Teaches skills in the area of laundry management. Need Addressed: Employment |
| Brothers in Blue |
Faith based life skills program provided in the form of a four day retreat and once a month check-ins. |
| Cabinet Maker Apprentice |
Apprenticeship for learning carpentry skills. Need addressed: Employment |
| Chemical Operator Apprenticeship |
Instruction and training to operate or tend chemical equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of institutional janitorial chemical products. Need addressed: Employment |
| Compassion in Action Pre-Release Education and Reentry Preparation |
The class helps participants realize that although they made mistakes and poor choices, that they are worthwhile and matter. That by investing in themselves through service, they can find fulfillment. |
| Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Routing Operator Apprenticeship |
Instruction and training to set up, operate, and tend a computer controlled wood routing machine. Employment |
| Department of Labor Workforce Development |
Helps participants develop a resume, prepare for interviews and work on job skills. Need area addressed: Employment |
| Forklift Certification |
Training in how to use and operate a forklift. Need addressed: Employment |
| Furniture Finisher Apprenticeship |
Instruction and training in shaping, finishing, and refinishing damaged, warn or used furniture or new high grade furniture to specification. Need Addressed: Employment |
| Health Course |
This program, delivered by a wellness expert, provides workshops on preventative health education and nutrition, such as Men's Birth Control; Date Abuse; Bullying; Gender Boxes; and Hygiene. Need addressed: Health. |
| Inner Circle/Winner Circle |
Presentations provided by former inmates of NDCS, or inmates in the community explaining the struggles they experienced on their journey through NDCS. Needs addressed: Support; outside interest; life skills. |
| KEYS-Keep Educating Yourself for Reentry |
The program is designed to build confidence, accountability, resiliency, problem solving skills for reentry success and personal growth. Needs addressed: Life skills |
| Launch Leadership |
Builds leadership skills through communication. Needs addressed: Attitudes/behavior, employment. |
| Laundry Machine Mechanic |
Training in industrial mechanics Needs Addressed: Employment |
| Life skills Reentry Prep |
Individuals gain skills to obtain and maintain gainful employment; to make healthier and more positive choices; to be successful and productive post release. Need addressed: Life skills |
| Machine Operator Apprenticeship |
Instruction and training to operate and tender multiple machine tools setters. Need addressed: Employment |
| Materials Coordinator Apprenticeship |
Training in material handling including shipping and receiving. Need addressed: Employment |
| Mental Health Association *** |
This grant program provides short-term transitional housing and supported employment services for formerly incarcerated adults living with behavioral health issues. (HOPE, REAL, Honu House) |
| Mental Health Association Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) |
Discusses deescalation; decision making and consequences; how trauma has affected a person; and how to overcome negative ways of dealing with stressful situations and crises. Need addressed: Life skills. |
| Metro Community College (MCC) |
MCC provides a variety of courses to assist with employment readiness, life skills, reentry, computer knowledge/skills, mechanics, quality control and supervision in the workplace. Needs addressed: Employment, lifeskills, reentry preparation |
| Metro Community College Employability Skills |
Allow students to enhance their interpersonal skills, improve ability to work in teams, learn to communicate effectively, think creatively, use problem solving techniques, and explore competive job-seeking strategies. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Metro community College Forklift Certification |
Training in operating and using a forklift. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Midplains Commercial Driver's License Preparatory Training |
Commercial Driver's License Training. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Midplains Community College Classes Intro to Business Credit Course |
Higher level education. Needs addressed: Education; life skills; outside interest. |
| Midplains Community College Focus Four Hazards Training |
Trains participants to respond to falls, caught in between, struck by and electrocutions--OSHA hazards focus. Need addressed: Employment and life skills. |
| Midplains Community College Forklift Operator Safety Training |
Forklift operating and use training. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Midplains CPR and First Aid Training |
CPR and First Aid training. Need addressed: Life skills. |
| Money Matters |
Teaches how to plan, save and budget. Need addressed: Life skills. |
| Nebraska Dept. of Transportation Flagger Course |
The course provides necessary instruction and testing for certification as an NDOT Road Construction Flagger. This certification is good for two years. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Offset Press Operator Apprenticeship |
Training in how to operate and offset printer in the Print Shop. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Planning with a Purpose |
Planning with a Purpose teaches constructive thinking, conflict resolution, responsibility and goal setting. Need addressed: Life skills. |
| Reconnect Workshop |
Workshop including movie and discussion. Needs addressed: Attitudes, behavior, pro-social activity. |
| ReConnect: Final Number |
Helps participants learn to make better choices and examine thinking patterns, preparing them to take advantage of opportunities in prison that will help them succeed. Needs addressed: Attitudes, behavior. |
| Reconnect: Success Prep |
Helps participants examine behaviors and attitudes that may have contributed to their incarceration and focus on skills critical to reentry. Needs addressed: Attitudes, behavior, life skills. |
| Released and Restored |
Released and Restored provides life skills training for employment, finances and consumer education. The program also focuses on helping individuals learn critical thinking skills, recognize distorted thinking and develop techniques to address problem areas. Needs Addressed: Support; pro-social/outside interest |
| Resume class Omaha Library |
The Omaha Public Library provides resume classes to help incarcerated individuals prepare for employment searches and interviews. Need addressed: Employment; vocational Life skills. |
| Resume Workshop |
Assists participants prepare for interviews; create resumes; do employment searches. Needs addressed: Employment; vocationa;; life skills. |
| Right Start |
Prepares participants for interviews and employment. Addressed Need: Employment |
| RISE |
This program targets entrepreneurial-minded individuals and offers intensive leadership development, business plan competitions, executive mentoring, financial investment, and startup incubation. Needs addressed: Life skills; employment. |
| Serve Safe |
Food safety certification course which covers food borne illness, how to prevent it; purchasing and receiving guidelines; food prep, holding and serving guidelines; food safety management, systems and sanitation guidelines. Needs addressed: Employment; life skills. |
| TRADE Program: Vocational and Life Skills Program *** |
The TRADE Program teaches conflict resolution; critical thinking; communication; personal finance; healthy relationships; basic computer; job preparation. Needs Addressed: Life skills; employment. |
| Truck Driver Simulator |
Prepares students for taking CDL after release. Need addressed: Employment. |
| Upholstery Apprenticeship |
Trains staff in the skills of doing upholstery work. Need addressed: Employment |
| Welding Apprenticeship |
Teaches welding skills. Need addressed: Employment |