EMPLOY Program
Created in 2006, the EMPLOY Program is a voluntary employment program providing work readiness and job search preparation at all 11 Minnesota Correctional Facilities for individuals that have 24 months or less to serve on their sentence and have ONE of the following: work in MINNCOR Industries, work in Food Services, participate in Prison Fellowship Academy (PFA), received a Career Tech Certification, or are involved in the Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP). The EMPLOY Program is an inside to outside program, meaning the participant must start the program while in the facility. EMPLOY values increasing employment outcomes and reducing recidivism.
EMPLOY’s Mission is to reduce recidivism by providing participants with the necessary tools to locate, gain and retain meaningful employment. This is accomplished through offering work readiness and job search training, connecting skilled participants with appropriate job leads, offering follow-up support, and encouraging positive change. At the same time, EMPLOY provides education to employers about creating Fair Hiring Practices within their companies and the benefits of hiring justice-impacted persons.
EMPLOY Pre-Release Services - During incarceration, EMPLOY Participants receive program packets to work on job search activities independently to assess their level of work readiness and career interests. Other activities include identifying hard, soft, and transferable skills, setting goals and other topics that aide in reducing or eliminating barriers to employment. Additionally, EMPLOY participants attend two days of job search training with an EMPLOY Job Search Trainer. Job search training topics include, but are not limited to, resume writing, job application completion, interview strategies, answering conviction questions, mock interviewing and more.
EMPLOY Post-Release Services - Once in the community, EMPLOY Participants will work individually with an EMPLOY Retention Specialist to develop a job search plan and participate in follow-up meetings. All EMPLOY Participants receive a physical and/or electronic portfolio including their resume and specific job leads based on their interest, skills, training, and availability. Referrals will be provided to community partners to address any barriers to employment the participant may have. Referrals to community partners for EMPLOY Participants’ training needs, services or educational opportunities are also provided. Post-release follow-up meetings with an EMPLOY Retention Specialist occur within the first week of release, at 1 month, and at every three months increment up until one year post release. These follow-up meetings may be in person, virtually, by phone, through email or text messaging. Post-release services are provided to every EMPLOY Participant, no matter what part of Minnesota the participant lives.