California Prison Industry Authority, Inside CDCR Video

A taste of the CALPIA coffee roasting program

Large coffee roaster machine and an inmate walking in the background.
Inmates learn the ins-and-out of the coffee roasting business in this CALPIA program.

At Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP), the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) is setting people up for success after incarceration through its coffee roasting program.

People who participate in the program learn valuable job skills in the coffee industry. They also earn nationally recognized certifications to help them with employment when returning to their communities. They learn every aspect of the coffee industry and real world job skills, preparing them for a variety of jobs.

Video by Manny Chavez, CALPIA

Learn more about CALPIA’s many programs focused on successful reentry at calpia.ca.gov.

Transcript

Charlotte Reynolds

My name is Charlotte Reynolds. I am superintendent to the CALPIA Coffee Roasting Facility.

I’m here to add job skills to the offenders and parolees that are leaving.

Marcus Carter

Hi, hello my name is Marcus Carter and I’m a coffee roaster here at Mule Creek State Prison.

Reynolds

We have implemented SCA (or) Specialty Coffee Association training programs here just this last year, and we’re ramping up to start training with everybody.

So for a variety of jobs in the coffee industry it’s not just can you coffee roast, you can actually be a barista, you can be part of a restaurant, you can work in a factory environment, a food production warehouse, in the culinary industry.

So it’s a great enhancement. We actually have SCA certifications that are worth about $600 on the street.

So it would be really hard for anyone to get these certification unless you’re in a culinary program.

They individually can get an SCA certification and be eligible to work in any type of coffee shop restaurant environment.


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