U.S. Secretary of Labor Recognizes Job Training for Mecklenburg County’s Incarcerated Residents

Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su visited the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on Sept. 24 to recognize the job readiness training offered there.

Mecklenburg County is getting national attention for its workforce development efforts, especially in preparing incarcerated people for jobs after their release.

Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su visited the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on Sept. 24 to recognize the job readiness training offered there. Programs offered by the Sheriff’s Office are designed to equip them with essential skills for life post-incarceration. They provide residents with opportunities to enhance their job readiness, earn certifications, and explore entrepreneurial ventures. These programs align closely with the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor’s Good Jobs Principles, ensuring participants acquire the training and qualifications necessary to thrive in the workforce.

Secretary Su received a tour of the detention center and a briefing on the programs available to incarcerated residents. She also met with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff, members of the Board of County Commissioners, representatives of the Urban League, and other local and regional officials. 

Workforce development is a stated budget priority by the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, which seeks to support initiatives that connect job seekers with employment opportunities.

In the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the Board invested more than $12 million in workforce development: 

  • Operating and capital funding for Central Piedmont Community College.
     
  • MeckSuccess pilot program, which provides a two-generation approach for education, job readiness, and other services to help achieve economic mobility.
     
  • Educational and employment transportation for seniors initiated with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
     
  • PIVOT internship program that creates pathways for high school students in manufacturing.
     
  • Office of Economic Development’s Career Expo for job readiness training and career workshops.
     
  • Arts and Culture Plan, a comprehensive approach to provide a stable funding stream that enables artists and creatives to practice their passion, earn a living wage, and offer cultural experiences to the entire community.

Re-Entry Services, a program of the County’s Department of Criminal Justice Services, facilitates the seamless transition of participants back into the community, while promoting employment stability, service engagement and continuing education. In addition to assistance for basic needs, clients receive education, vocational training, work readiness and retention skills training, items needed to begin employment (uniforms, work boots, tools/utensils, etc.), and other support.

Mecklenburg County also offers programs through the Department of Community Resources that provide opportunity and education for permanent employment, including Rise 2 Work, Unified Workforce Development, Work First Employment Services, and Work First Family Assistance. There are also programs through the Office of Economic Development for minority-owned, women-owned, and small businesses.

View Photos from the Visit