SLU’S Transformative Workforce Academy Expanding Services for Justice-Involved Jobseekers

12/20/2022

SLU’s Transformative Workforce Academy (TWA) was recently awarded a contract with Missouri’s Department of Corrections which will position the program to significantly expand services to justice-involved jobseekers.  

The new contract is a pilot project by the State of Missouri that will fund TWA to provide pre-release services that incorporate video resumes and interviewing in five correctional facilities for incarcerated individuals who will be returning to the St. Louis area.

 Funding will also allow TWA to provide support to participants after their release to ensure they are successful in their jobs as they reenter society and address barriers to employment common for people with records. 

“We know that having employment when leaving prison not only greatly reduces recidivism but also provides economic stability to justice-involved individuals and their families, which has a positive impact on well-being not just for that person but for our whole community,” said Meredith Rataj, TWA’s Program Director. “We are excited to be taking steps to achieve the TWA vision of connecting every justice-involved jobseeker in Missouri with meaningful employment.” 

As a program housed in the School for Professional Studies, TWA has been working since 2018 to help employers look beyond a person’s criminal record.  TWA hosts two virtual job fairs each year—one in spring, one in fall—for justice-involved jobseekers in addition to connecting year-round jobseeker referrals with employers, while also recruiting and training a large pool of second chance employers.  For the past three years, TWA has successfully implemented a virtual format to connect jobseekers with employers both pre- and post-release.