Warren County Jail inmates will have an opportunity to turn their lives around behind bars with a new program. 

Tennessee College of Applied Technology has partnered with the county and Upper Cumberland Workforce Development to create a new training program that will be available for jail inmates. It’s a two-week program where they can be certified in six different skills.

These certifications teach how to convert fractions and decimals into hands-on measurements like gauge, micrometer, and slide caliper measurements. These certificates increase employment potential and job productivity, which makes them an asset for inmates to obtain. 

TCAP interim president Nathan Garrett said the program gives inmates some leverage to go into certain fields post-incarceration. 

“How many people can we get enrolled? How many people can we get completed?” Garrett asked when talking about the program. 

One inmate said he wanted to frame his certifications when released. 

“Here’s a real and viable opportunity for people who have admittedly made mistakes,” said Garrett. 

Released inmates have a difficult time finding work, so with these certifications, they will have a better chance in fields like aerospace, manufacturing, energy and more. 

Garret said, “This training effort underscores the commitment our community has to improving individuals, while also building up available talent for local industries. The vision of local leadership to provide valuable skills to individuals that now have a meaningful pathway toward a livable-wage job is a big step in the economic development of Warren County.”