CentrAL INC! | Central Alabama Business Journal November/December 2024 | Page 18

INGRAM STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
INGRAM STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
For nearly 60 years , Ingram State , an accredited member of the Alabama Community College System , has provided quality education services to Alabama ’ s incarcerated population within the Alabama Department of Corrections ( ADOC ). With a focus on reducing recidivism and strengthening the Alabama workforce , ISTC has partnered with the ADOC and the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole ( ABPP ) to provide quality career technical education in high-wage , high-demand fields to justice-involved individuals in Alabama .
WE ARE PROUD OF Annette Funderburk , the fourth president of the college , being the college ’ s first female President . Ms . Funderburk was appointed as the college President in 2018 after serving a year as the interim . Prior to her current position , Ms . Funderburk worked with the Alabama Community College System for nine years serving in various capacities to include the Director of External Affairs .
WE ARE EXCITED THAT Ingram State works hand-in-hand with the ADOC to provide career technical training to the women at Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women . Ingram State is proud to offer women the opportunity to participate in programming in adult education , cosmetology , logistics , office administration and welding .
THE TOOLS OF OUR TRADE is operating Ingram State around the “ prison-to-workforce pipeline ” model . This process begins with technical program completions at ISTC and continues through on-the-job training work experience at Alabama Correctional Industries , a division of the ADOC , where graduates are hired in businesses across the state .
WE VALUE helping incarcerated students while meeting workforce demands . ISTC is meeting the needs of three audiences : incarcerated students , employers and the taxpayers of Alabama .
OUR SECRET IS addressing the workforce demands by listening to employers and developing programs that coincide with current industry needs .
WE MAKE AN IMPACT BY training justice-involved individuals in high-wage , high-demand career fields . Ingram State is pioneering new pathways for women and men to secure sustainable employment upon their release from prison . ISTC is empowering individuals to become productive members of society but also enabling them to provide for their families and contribute positively to their communities .
YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS THAT incarcerated individuals who participate in correctional education are 48 percent less likely to return to prison than those who do not , as reported by The Vera Institute .
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