I will never forget the moment I stood at the front of a classroom in a federal prison, teaching a commercial driving class — even though I had never even sat behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer. What I brought to the room wasn’t driving experience but lived experience. I understood that the barriers these students faced had little to do with their ability to operate a tractor-trailer and more to do with limited education, spotty employment histories, legal barriers to occupational licensing, and a tangled web of collateral consequences.
More than 600,000 individuals are released from U.S. prisons each year (Sawyer, 2022), and these returning citizens face daunting reentry challenges. The Prison Policy Initiative has reported that among a study group “of more than 50,000 people released from federal prisons in 2010, a staggering 33% found no employment at all over four years post-release, and at any given time, no more than 40% of the cohort was employed. People who did find jobs struggled, too … landing jobs that didn’t offer security or upward mobility” (Wang & Bertram, 2022).
As someone who has been personally justice-impacted and now leads two national organizations focused on education and reentry — the Petey Greene Program and the Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice — I’ve come to believe that career and technical education isn’t just a program. It’s a promise. A promise that education can set us free, that redemption is real, and that skills matter more than stigma.
Can they pass the written exam?
One of the biggest challenges that justice-impacted students face is passing the written exam. Thanks to my two incredible co-instructors who both had real-world trucking experience, we guided our students through the mechanics of driving and supported them in building necessary literacy and math skills.
Why CTE matters behind bars
Career and technical education offers a direct response to these challenges. By providing hands-on training in high-demand fields like welding, culinary arts, construction, information technology and more. CTE empowers individuals with marketable skills and fosters a sense of dignity, purpose and self-worth. It gives people a future to believe in — and the tools to build it.
Evidence backs this up. A landmark study published by the RAND Corporation found that incarcerated individuals who participate in educational programs are 43% less likely to return to prison (Davis et al., 2013).
Despite proven results, CTE programs in correctional settings continue to face systemic hurdles. Such as limited funding, outdated equipment and a lack of qualified instructors. The COVID-19 pandemic only intensified these problems.
Still, hope is on the rise. In 2023, Jobs for the Future launched its Postsecondary Education in Prison CTE Accelerator Network. This was designed “to help institutions that are expanding access to credit-bearing CTE courses to people who are incarcerated” (Murphy et al., 2023). This group of 17 schools and training providers are rebuilding lives and changing futures.
Programs that work
At the Petey Greene Program, we pair academic tutoring with vocational instruction across more than a dozen states. Trained volunteers from top-tier universities help learners develop the literacy and math skills necessary for CTE success. In one Penn.sylvania correctional facility, our collaboration with a carpentry certification class boosted technical exam pass rates by 23%. For many of our students, the presence of a Petey Greene tutor is more than academic — it’s relational. We provide mentorship, build trust and restore human connection.
The Hoosier Initiative for Re-Entry (HIRE) in Indiana offers a compelling model. It integrates technical training with job placement, working closely with employers to interview participants before they’re released. Within 90 days post-release, over 80% of HIRE participants are employed, which acts as a powerful buffer against recidivism.
Challenges along the road ahead
Security policies, funding shortages and employer stigma continue to impede progress. But major policy shifts are opening new doors. We’re also seeing the growth of integrated education and training models that combine CTE, adult education and career readiness training tailored for the correctional setting. This is where real innovation lives.
As someone who served time, returned home, and has dedicated his life to working with individuals who have been affected by the justice system, I know that CTE is about more than skills. It’s about transformation.
To my fellow educators, policymakers and community leaders: Let’s make CTE accessible to the nearly two million people behind bars today — 95% of whom will come home.
We don’t just teach skills; we restore hope. We rebuild lives.
Jeffrey Abramowitz, J.D., is the chief executive officer of the Petey Greene Program and the Puttkammer Center for Educa.tional Justice. His journey through the justice system fuels his life’s mission: ensuring education and employment are accessible to every justice-impacted individual.
