California Correctional Training and Rehabilitation Authority, Rehabilitation

Employers visit CALPIA, Last Mile at San Quentin

January 21, 2025

The California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) joined The Last Mile (TLM) at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center to welcome employers to visit the Computer Coding classroom.

Attendees included Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti, TLM Co-Founders, along with many employers such as Virgin Unite, a non-profit foundation focusing on creating opportunities for a better world.

Learn more about The Last Mile on their website.

Employers got first-hand experience while visiting the Computer Coding classroom Dec. 5, 2024.

“That’s what our programs are all about,” said CALPIA’s General Manager Bill Davidson. “CALPIA provides incarcerated individuals with life-changing career opportunities. It is through great partnerships with employers we are seeing successful outcomes.”

Computer Coding students gave presentations in front of their peers and guest employers. Participants of the program shared their experiences, and new skill sets they gained through the Computer Coding program while incarcerated.

“I appreciate the education and vocational employment skills I have received as a student in CALPIA and TLM,” said coding student Tam. “I am excited outside organizations are interested in helping us further our education and employment skills.”

Decade of CALPIA, The Last Mile partnership

A woman wears headphones to listen to an audio/video project at San Quentin.

CALPIA partnered with TLM when they opened the first computer coding classroom at San Quentin in 2014. Besides coding, The Audio-Video Production program is also available there.

CALPIA operates the Computer Coding program at three California prisons:

San Quentin Rehabilitation Center
California Institution for Women
and Pelican Bay State Prison.

“More than a decade ago, we knew technology would be a job skill in greater demand for incarcerated individuals,” said Rusty Bechtold. “CALPIA already had a proven training method with the trade unions and was fortunate enough to meet a great partner in the tech industry with The Last Mile.”

CALPIA’s Computer Coding Instructor at San Quentin, Jon Gripshover, has worked for the organization for more than a decade. He said he is grateful to be part of this program which has grown from 18 students to almost 70.

“I felt overjoyed sharing our success with so many different outside companies,” said Gripshover. “Employers gave all our students the opportunity to develop their networking skills which will give them a huge advantage when rejoining the workforce.”

Learning new life-changing skills

“The event was an emotionally charged day that I will never forget,” said coding student Ricardo. “The students and alumni not only displayed their computer coding wizardry, music, commercial and podcast editing skills, they spoke with such passion and humor about the things they learned outside of coding and the audio-video program that left everyone in awe.”

CALPIA graduates can earn industry accredited certifications while being in programs such as Computer Coding. Each individual applies to be in the program and CALPIA has countless success stories. A recent study from the University of California, Irvine, found CALPIA participants have a 15 percent return-to-custody rate after three years. This means 85 percent of all CALPIA participants do not return to prison.

Story submitted by Michele Kane, Assistant General Manager, External Affairs
Photos, story by Stephanie Eres, public information officer
California Prison Industry Authority