By Natasha Lomas, 11 June 2008 15:21
NEWS
Inmates at London's largest prison, HMP Wandsworth, are getting the chance to train for a career in IT installation.
Wandsworth prison already offers various training options to prisoners, including industrial cleaning, bricklaying, carpentry, tailoring, electrical, painting and decorating, and plumbing - along with educational services such as creative writing, drama, English, IT, maths, social and life skills and yoga.
But its newest vocational academy - launched yesterday by the minister for prisons, David Hanson, and the minister for skills, David Lammy - will offer training in data cabling and network installation for the IT industry, boosting inmates' chances of eventually finding employment in the tech sector.
The academy is a public/private partnership between HM Prison Service (HMPS) and construction company Bovis Lend Lease, networking giant Cisco and network cabling company Panduit. It was developed by not-for-profit organisation Working Ventures UK through its 'Exit to Work' programme and London skills organisation the London Employer Accord, working in partnership with the three companies. It will be delivered by Cisco and HMPS Regime Services.
Scot Gardner, director of public sector, Cisco UK & Ireland, said industry, government and academy must continue to work together to address the UK's IT skills shortfall. The company estimates demand for data and network cabling installers outstrips supply by at least 20 per cent and there is a shortfall of around 61,000 properly qualified employees in the UK alone.
Gardner said in a statement: "We believe it's imperative that private and public sectors continue to work together - industry, government and academia - in innovative ways to expand the available skill base to ensure the UK prospers long-term. The Academy at HMP Wandsworth will develop real-world, in-demand skills helping to prepare inmates for the workplace and therefore reducing reoffending."
After completing training at the academy, offenders will be interviewed by BeOnsite, Bovis' not-for-profit training company, and - if successful - will be employed on release from prison. When in employment, they can also be provided with an option to continue training through the government's 'Train to Gain' programme.
The skills minister said in a statement: "The academy is a demonstration of the power of partnerships coming together to benefit employers, transform offenders' lives and make society safer by reducing reoffending. I would encourage all employers to see the business benefits in linking with prisons to get offenders into training and into work."
Comments
There are 6 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
good grief ... well who better to trust with high value equipment installations than an ex cat burglar ?
the lunatics are very definitely running the asylum
and still no thought of all the IT people forced out of the industry because they are over 40
2. Radical Meldrew
Incredible! We are constantly warned about the increasing numbers of high-tech crimes committed and here's our dear old government training convicted criminals to go and work in IT.
3. Andrew Robb
I wonder how this will sit with security clearance required to work in many buildings?
4. Karen Challinor
so ex convicts get a look in but those forced out of the market as they have a few grey hairs don't
heres an idea, I'll knock up a webforum specifically for older IT people and we'll form our own internet based IT company from the membership, then we'll tender for contracts, anybody interested ?
5. Simon
Lets see now - work hard, play fair, get taxed on self improvement on top of paying for the course itself.
Break the law, get locked up, get your training provided free !
While I think it's great to give prisoners something positive that might help them 'go straight' in the future, I can't help feeling short changed that I get taxed with a 100% (yes, that's one hundred percent - not a typo) taxation on any courses I pay for myself.
6. fred
as a "too old" former IT worker, I have an idea on how to be forced to be given a job by an employer. I just need to know what is the minimum crime that I need to do to get into the "training" program. Upon completion, for this program to be successful, the government will require employers to hire these "graduates", whether they like it or not.