Untapped
Labor Pool
Idaho’s corrections system helping address skilled labor shortage in construction sector
By Jim Timlick
F
or many years, Idaho’s state prison system has been viewed by some in the outside world as little more than a warehouse for incarcerated individuals waiting for their release. That perception is starting to change, as Idaho’s nine state prisons are becoming a learning ground for inmates looking to
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successfully transition back into everyday society. Many of those institutions have begun ramping up career training and apprenticeship opportunities thanks in part to criminal justice reforms and federal legislation like the Perkins Act for career and technical education. This is good news for residents of Idaho’s prisons, as studies show that residents who
take part in correctional education are 43 percent less likely to return to prison. It’s also good news for the state’s construction industry that is continually looking for skilled workers. Institutions like the Idaho State Correctional Center (ISCC) in Kuna offer a number of construction-related training programs including carpentry, residential electrician,
