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Greenville Tech partners with detention center to offer job training

Staff Report //October 30, 2018//

Greenville Tech partners with detention center to offer job training

Staff Report //October 30, 2018//

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Greenville Technical College has established a partnership with the Greenville County Detention Center to deliver training to incarcerated individuals so that when they are released, they have marketable job skills.

The training partnership is made possible through a line item in the state budget introduced by state Sen. Karl Allen, D-Greenville, according to a news release. The $250,000 line item is designated to assist re-entry programs in Greenville County by providing job-specific certifications.

“When we give those who are incarcerated relevant job skills, we increase their chances of succeeding upon release,” Sen. Allen said in the news release. “This can have an enormous impact on individuals, families, and communities. I am pleased to see a portion of the line item funds used for this very promising initiative.”

ServSafe classes and life skills related courses will be offered at the detention center beginning Nov. 2. The first class is expected to enroll 15-17 students, the release said, and additional classes are being explored.

“We are grateful to Sen. Allen and to the Greenville County Detention Center for partnering with Greenville Technical College to change outcomes of incarceration by seeing to it that inmates have the opportunity to be released with an education they can put to work,” said Jermaine Whirl, vice president for learning and workforce development at Greenville Technical College, in the release.