New local non-profit offers job training opportunities for previously incarcerated people

November 9, 2021 9:23 AM

Olivia Roberts,

Posted: November 9, 2021 9:23 AM

Updated: November 9, 2021 3:45 PM

by Olivia Roberts

SPOKANE, Wash. — A newly launched local non-profit provides training opportunities for previously incarcerated people looking for a career in the trades.

The Pre-Employment Preparation Program, or PEPP, is an educational, hands-on training program consisting of required courses of study. Classes of are held Monday through Friday for 20 days.

Students participating in the program are people who are, or soon will be, reentering the community from local or state corrections facilities or from underrepresented and non-traditional populations in the Spokane community.

Program participants will learn practical construction math, job safety, equipment and tool use, life skills and financial literacy.

Students who successfully complete the program leave with safety equipment and tools, a participation stipend of $100 per week and certifications in first aid, OSHA 10, traffic control and a forklift qualification credential.

“We believe that previously incarcerated and other often over-looked members of our community deserve an opportunity to prepare for a career in the trades that might not otherwise be available to them,” PEPP Board Chair Natasha Hill said. “PEPP graduates will have the necessary certifications and education to make them qualified candidates for trades apprenticeships, and ultimately a career that can provide financial stability and opportunities for growth and independence.”

PEPP is sponsored by the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund. Donations to the program may be made here. One hundred percent of all donations go directly to PEPP.

For more information, call 509-327-5041 or email judithg721@comcast.net.