Prisoners to be offered chance to do retrofitting

CONVICTS will be offered apprenticeship training programmes behind bars ahead of completing their sentence in an effort to help them into work after their release.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris and the Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne will announce today that prisoners close to release will be offered places on the Retrofit Skills Course QQI Level 5 component award in the Midlands and Wheatfield prisons, giving the individual the skillset to gain meaningful employment in the area of retrofitting.

The first of these pilot programmes will start today in Midlands Prison with Minister Harris noting: ‘We know we need to do more to improve education and upskilling opportunities for people in custody to support their rehabilitation and employment post-release. This is the aim of the Prison Education Taskforce, chaired by myself and Minister Browne.’

‘Allow people to see a different future’

The taskforce aims to ensure greater alignment between prison education and the tertiary education system and it comprises key agencies such as the Irish Prison Service, SOLAS, the Probation Service, the Education and Training Boards.

Mr Harris said: ‘This programme will be offered to those who are close to release – and will equip them with the training and skills they need to become active participants in the jobs market.

‘These courses will give them the skills they need to get sustainable jobs on release, while also creating skilled workers to help deliver on our targets under Housing for All.

‘Education and training allow people to see alternative choices, a different future and to move away from criminality. We can’t underestimate the importance of taking an employment focused view of education in our prisons.’