Orange County Corrections’ Inmate Construction Program Graduates Newest Class

Twelve men proudly crossed the stage to accept their diplomas when the Inmate Construction Program had its 21st graduation at the Departamento Correccional del Condado de Orange on November 8, 2024.

The six-week program, offered in partnership with Valencia College, provides students with the skills to succeed in construction. Valencia College provides the curriculum, and the jail provides the inmate students. Graduates leave with three college credits toward an Associate of Science degree in Building Construction Technology and several certifications.

Valencia Instructor Richard Crotty was among the speakers at the graduation. He publicly thanked the graduates for their commitment to learning safety, measurements, hand tools, blueprints and more. "If you want to reach a different destination," he said, "you have to choose a different path."

Norman Wilson, senior pastor at Freedom Hall Church of the Living God in Orlando, was the commencement speaker. He relayed a positive and hopeful message to the graduating class. "You need to make up in your mind that you will succeed," he asserted. "There's power in your mindset."

Since the program began in March 2016, it has graduated 313 students. Of those, 211 have secured full-time employment with 178 working in the construction industry. Research shows that gainful employment is key to reducing recidivism.

In his closing remarks, Deputy Chief Anthony D. Watts, Sr. encouraged graduates to take the necessary steps to overcome their past. "You don't have to be the person you used to be," he said. "You've been given new skills and new tools."

Watts was optimistic. "This is just the beginning for you," he added. "Embrace this opportunity."

For more on the Orange County Corrections Department and its programs, go to Departamento Correccional del Condado de Orange.