On July 11, 2024, Aramark graduated 35 women from the IN2WORK Warehouse & Supply Chain program at Anson Correctional Institution in Polkton. Also, in this class, 17 of the students applied for—and received—scholarships to further their education.
“Through the IN2Work program, we've witnessed the transformative power of opportunity,” said Andre Smith, a Correction Enterprises Manager with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. “It inspires these women to envision a future beyond their past, empowering them to shape their destinies with renewed hope and determination upon release and the educational benefits it provides to their families.”
North Carolina Correction Enterprises and Aramark’s Union Supply Group partner at Anson Correctional Institution to operate a packaging program that that custom-packs and ships finished gift boxes ordered by family and friends to people incarcerated in North Carolina state prisons. This Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP) allows the women to receive training, learn job skills and earn a prevailing wage, comparable to what’s earned in similar businesses outside prison, and above minimum wage and wages of other prison jobs.
“Watching these students absorb all the information, ask questions, discuss strategy on how they can make their current warehouse better helped me understand how important our job at IN2WORK is. By providing this program, we are able to spark the minds of others as well give them hope for their future,” said Belinda Peterson, IN2WORK Manager and instructor for this class. “We discussed trying different avenues of education so that they could find that one thing that became their passion. This is why I am so proud that we have 17 scholarships to hand out to these graduates. We also spoke about making our communities a better place; that community can be outside or inside the prison system.”
IN2WORK (I2W) helps incarcerated women and men prepare for careers and re-entry into their communities, offering food and retail safety training through both classroom and hands-on-training, taking a phased approach to learning. The I2W Warehouse & Supply Chain program concentrates on the daily operation of a warehouse, including safe operation of common equipment & cleanliness and sanitation. Graduates of the program earn a Certified Specialist certificate from the National Retail Federation in Warehousing, Inventory & Logistics.
“The curriculum is very detailed and delves into the warehousing, inventory, and logistics industry. The graduates learned how the warehousing industry has grown in technology and how they can use what they are currently doing in a large-scale warehouse,” explained Peterson. “We also learned how important keeping track of our product is as well as how to keep track of it manually and electronically. Understanding how the product goes from the warehouse to the customer, and the reverse process from customer to the warehouse, allows the graduate to understand why accuracy and quickness are keys to a satisfied customer.”
The goal is to help incarcerated individuals take control of their lives by giving them the tools, experience, certifications, and confidence they need to support themselves and their families as they transition back to life in their communities. Graduates of I2W, as well as their families, are eligible for Aramark scholarships to help them complete educational certificates and degrees.
“IN2WORK Warehouse & Supply Chain provides men and women who are incarcerated a skill set that is transferable to the workforce upon release. By equipping the students with the essential knowledge and an industry recognized certification, we aim to set them up for success for a future career,” said Nicole McVaugh, Director of IN2WORK. “We are excited to expand the program to a larger population of justice impacted individuals and offer reentry support through education and employment.”