A recent civil service exam and hiring event organized by multiple State agencies at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) proved successful as a reentry program.
Incarcerated individuals are seeing first-hand the reality of prison-to-employment by receiving job offers before being released to their communities.
“We are definitely improving the lives of individuals who are about to leave prison,” said CALPIA’s General Manager Bill Davidson. “This hiring event shows that partnerships work. It is rewarding to see how people come together ensuring there is a smooth transition.”
Representatives from the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA), along with CDCR, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Government Operations Agency (GovOps), the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), and the California Workforce Development Board all participated in the Civil Service Hiring Event.
“We were excited to host the event and provide assistance to the soon-to-be-release incarcerated population,” said CCWF Warden (A) M. Pallares. “The idea of gaining employment quickly after being released is one less hurdle a parolee may face. With this event, we are hoping to provide a new avenue of hiring for the workforce vacancies.”
Tamara Balthazar, who has since paroled, said: “I am excited and elated to be given this opportunity. If hired on as a member of Caltrans, I will work hard and strive to do my best. Hopefully, I can rise up through the ranks to a supervisory capacity.”
Caltrans reached out for assistance in filling entry-level Highway Maintenance Worker positions. Nine individuals from CCWF were interviewed and eight of them received Intent to Hire letters from Caltrans.
Submitted by Lt. S. Rodriguez
Read more rehabilitation stories.
Follow CDCR on YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter). Listen to the CDCR Unlocked podcast.