For justice-impacted people returning to their communities after incarceration, finding stable employment remains one of the greatest challenges to rebuilding their lives. Studies show they are significantly more likely to be unemployed, and even when they do find work, they are often paid less and face limited opportunities for advancement. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, people with a history of incarceration are nearly five times more likely to be unemployed, and those who secure jobs earn about half of what the average worker earns.

Against that backdrop, access to industry-aligned education and recognized credentials can offer a meaningful path forward. Not just a job, but a way to demonstrate readiness, skill, and commitment to employers who are actively seeking workers.

Those realities framed Lessons from the Field: Manufacturing Certification in Corrections, a recent webinar moderated by Orijin that brought together leaders from ToolingU SME, the Massachusetts Department of Correction, and Dyer County Jail in Dyer County, Tennessee to explore how manufacturing certification programs can be implemented inside correctional facilities and what becomes possible when they are done well.

Manufacturing Demand Meets Reentry Opportunity

Manufacturing demand adds urgency to this challenge. Greg Surtman, Manager of Workforce Development at ToolingU SME, shared data showing sustained demand for entry-level manufacturing roles across the country, particularly in production, maintenance, and quality.

“Production workers are consistently the most in-demand roles,” Surtman explained. “Manufacturers are looking for people who understand safety, measurement, quality, and how a manufacturing environment works from day one.”

According to Lightcast data shared during the webinar, production workers remain the single most in-demand manufacturing role in the United States, with more than 226,000 open positions nationwide. In Tennessee alone, there were more than 7,200 openings for production workers, underscoring how immediate and local the opportunity can be when correctional education aligns with workforce needs.

These roles often provide stable wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. For justice-impacted individuals, they can also offer something more difficult to quantify: a chance to build a future rooted in consistency and growth.

The Certified Manufacturing Associate Pathway

At the center of the discussion was the ToolingU SME Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) credential, delivered to incarcerated learners through Orijin’s secure Managed Learning Platform. The pathway includes 25 one-hour courses covering foundational manufacturing skills such as shop math, measurement, safety, quality, lean principles, and introductory automation concepts. Learners complete a proctored certification exam, delivered securely within correctional environments.

Surtman emphasized that the value of the credential lies in what it signals to employers at the moment of reentry.

“The Certified Manufacturing Associate lets someone walk out with proof that they have those foundational skills,” Surtman said. “These are the same skills manufacturers are usually trying to teach during the first 60 to 90 days on the job.”

Surtman explained that for employers facing persistent labor shortages, that proof matters. Entry-level manufacturing roles often require reliability, safety awareness, and baseline technical understanding more than prior industry experience. The CMfgA credential helps bridge that gap.

“This is about giving people a solid foundation,” he added. “When someone earns this credential, it shows they understand how manufacturing works and what’s expected when they step onto the shop floor.”

Because the credential is nationally recognized and portable, learners can carry it with them after release and build on it through continued training or employment. As discussed during the webinar, the pathway is designed not as a one-time educational experience, but as an entry point into sustainable manufacturing careers.

What It Looks Like on the Ground in Tennessee

Implementation matters as much as curriculum, a point that came through clearly in the experience shared by Jeanna Damesworth, Education Instructor at Dyer County Jail.

“If they don’t have income coming in, they know what they’ll go back to,” Damesworth said. “They’ve got to live. They’ve got to eat. This gives them an opportunity to do something different.”

At Dyer County, learners completed coursework independently on secure tablets, but success was driven by consistent, hands on support. Damesworth organized in person study groups and encouraged learners to work through challenges together.

Math proved to be one of the most difficult areas for many students, but the group-based approach helped build confidence. “They’d say, ‘I can’t do this,’” she recalled. “And I’d tell them, ‘Yes, you can. We’ll work it out together.’”

The results spoke for themselves. In the first cohort, 14 of 15 learners passed the certification exam. Interest in the program grew quickly, leading to a waiting list and plans to expand access in future cohorts.

A System Level View from Massachusetts

From a broader policy perspective, John Afonso, Manager of Reentry at the Massachusetts Department of Correction, emphasized that manufacturing certification fits into a larger strategy centered on public safety, structure, and accountability.

“This work is about public safety,” Afonso shared. “When people leave with real skills and real opportunities, they are far less likely to come back.”

In Massachusetts, the program was implemented with clear milestones, regular check ins, and strong coordination among educators, reentry staff, and workforce partners. Peer support played a critical role, including an anchor learner who helped tutor others and reinforce key concepts.

Afonso underscored the importance of consistency and belief. When learners felt supported and challenged, they began to see themselves differently, not as individuals defined by their past, but as workers preparing for their future.

More Than a Credential

Across both Tennessee and Massachusetts, a shared theme emerged. Manufacturing certification programs are most effective when paired with strong relationships, clear expectations, and systems designed to support the whole learner.

Orijin’s platform enabled secure access, progress tracking, structured learning paths, and alignment with facility schedules and security requirements. But speakers made it clear that technology alone was not the answer.

As Damesworth put it, “I don’t look at people as criminals. I look at them as people who deserve another chance. What matters is what we do going forward.”

A Model Worth Paying Attention To

Lessons from the Field: Manufacturing Certification in Corrections highlighted what is possible when correctional education aligns with real workforce needs and is delivered with intention and care.

For facilities, these programs support engagement, reentry goals, and public safety priorities. For learners, they offer recognized credentials, practical skills, and renewed confidence in what lies ahead.

In a system where second chances are often hard to come by, this approach offers something powerful. A pathway that works.

Watch the recorded webinar here.

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