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About TWA

Our Mission

Transformative Workforce Academy (TWA) is part of a Saint Louis University interdepartmental collaboration designed to support those most at risk of incarceration in living fruitful, prison-free lives. SLU’s initiatives engage the whole lifespan, including prevention, in-prison, and reentry services. Through research, information-sharing, and direct services in areas such as education, legal defense, life skills training, and employment placement, SLU seeks to address the root causes of crime by providing support and resources to those who all too often see no alternative.

TWA’s focus is helping those who are coming out of prison find and retain meaningful employment. TWA began its efforts in April 2018 by partnering with the federal and state level Probation & Parole offices to sponsor the inaugural Second Chance Job Fair at Chaifetz Arena. These efforts continued in 2019, when the Second Chance Job Fair drew 1,000 attendees, including 77 employers committed to looking at candidates holistically, beyond just their criminal record. TWA is now seeking to expand upon the success of these job fairs by providing year-round support to job seekers in need of second chance employment, as well as employers looking to hire and retain a talented but often overlooked section of the workforce. The goal of this Second Chance Job Portal is to provide job seekers and employers the resources and support they need for successful second chance employment.

To learn more, contact TWA’s Program Manager, Lisa Cohn, by email at lisa.cohn@slu.edu or by phone at 314-977-5498.