Thanks to a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the City of Springfield’s Department of Workforce Development has relaunched a program to help formerly incarcerated individuals reenter the workforce.
The APPLIE Pathway Program (APPLIE stands for About Persons with Past Legal Issues in Employment) will provide credential training and career readiness workshops to more than 400 individuals housed in Missouri Department of Corrections facilities. Once released, the program connects them with employers via job fairs and provides on-the-job training once employment is obtained, as well as support and resources to address any issues they may encounter in after release to help them maintain employment.
“We prepare these folks for re-entry into the workforce by offering assessments, training, resume prep, interview tips, and how to confidently talk about their legal history with employers,” said Program Supervisor Carmen May. “We are actively recruiting businesses to participate in the on-the-job training portion of the program. Employers can receive reimbursement for 50% of wages up to 1,040 hours of full-time employment. We make every effort to match their skill sets with available jobs,” she added.
Springfield-area employers interested in participating in the APPLIE program are asked to contact Jennifer Biri at 417-841-1895 or Bill Smillie at 417-880-5692.