Project Summary

Johnson College is launching its first direct initiative for incarcerated learners with a pilot workforce training program at Wayne and Pike County Prisons. The program delivers OSHA 10 General Industry certification, a widely recognized workplace safety credential that prepares students for employment in multiple industries. This effort represents a strategic step toward expanding higher education opportunities in northeastern Pennsylvania, a region with limited prison education infrastructure.

Key Activities

• Deliver three 12-hour OSHA 10 training sessions via distance learning, serving incarcerated students in small cohorts.

• Develop technical standards and instructional materials to guide future workforce programming in correctional settings.

• Provide faculty preparation and coordination with prison staff to ensure effective, trauma-informed delivery.

• Collaborate with community partners including the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance, Goodwill Industries, and the Department of Corrections.

Impact

This pilot brings industry-recognized certification into a county jail setting, where short sentences and logistical barriers often limit access to education. By starting with OSHA 10, Johnson College is equipping students with immediately useful credentials while laying the groundwork for future technical programs such as CDL or welding. The project advances both regional equity and statewide models for workforce-aligned prison education. The project advances county and federal workforce training options for prison education.