We’ve all heard about the labor shortage. Terms like “the Great Retirement” and “the Great Resignation” show up in headlines and news stories. We see the help wanted signs and escalating hourly wages. Yet one population still struggles to find their way in the job market – the formerly incarcerated.
Imagine yourself dropped off in the middle of a desert with no water or way to fend for yourself. That’s how many formerly incarcerated people feel when they are released back into society. They have little to no help and guidance on how to deal with the mountains of issues that people must overcome to reintegrate back into society. On top of that, they are faced with a mountain of oversight that cripples people trying to re-establish themselves. The bridge from incarceration to the workforce is often not an easy one. It takes time and there are many speed bumps along the way.
That’s where RecycleForce steps in. Working with parole officers and other oversight agencies, we help formerly incarcerated people overcome the avalanche of obstacles in their path. We strive to give participants the structure and balance they need to re-establish themselves in society and the workforce. Our basic workforce training program includes forklift and warehouse training, OSHA, and HAZWOPER 40. Additionally, our participants receive financial, mental, and educational literacy classes.
We help our participants climb their mountain. The path for most of the people we work with isn’t easy. We work with those who are specifically classified as “high risk to reoffend.” We like to believe we are the sherpas helping our participants climb the Mount Everest in their lives.
Any Job, Better Job, Career…the RecycleForce Model
Mary Avery came to us in September of 2021. In her mid-50s and recently released from four years of incarceration, Mary needed a stable job. Mary had some previous warehouse experience, so after her initial OSHA and forklift training she was assigned to our Shipping and Receiving department. Unloading a truck in a standard warehouse isn’t an easy thing – unloading a truck full of recyclable equipment can be quite a challenge. Mary dove in with both feet, becoming an expert at unloading the strangest of truckloads regardless of the difficulty level.
Thanks to Mary, trucks were unloaded quickly, weight sheets recorded correctly, and she began training others how to work the lift and run shipping. Last month, Mary accepted a job in the shipping department of a local distribution center. Her goal is to become a shipping supervisor within six months. She’s earning more now than she could have ever imagined and is excited for her future prospects.
When we sat down with her before she left, we asked her what RecycleForce had done for her. She said, “It gave me the confidence in myself again to accomplish something. Between the certifications, training and peer mentoring, I believed in myself again and that gave me the confidence to do what I’m doing.”
Mary’s work ethic and devotion to her job was evident in one simple statement she made during her final days with us, as she was training her replacement: “I don’t care how you do it when I’m gone, but while I’m here you’re going to slow down and do it right!”
Mary is now on to the “B” part of our ABC model. She’s found a better job and she has her sights on a career path. That is the exciting part. But Mary’s success story doesn’t happen without your help and old electronic equipment. RecycleForce can recycle your old electronics, decluttering your space and making an impact on the environment and the citizens of our community. If it has a cord, we can recycle it! Contact us today to schedule a pickup of those old computers and electronics, and we will take care of the rest.