College Inside - a biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons

The future of computer programming in prison – College Inside; written by Open Campus national reporter Charlotte West.
A biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons.

Excerpt:

Participant Leonard Bishop hadn’t touched technology in the 17 years he served in the federal system prior to transferring to the D.C. Jail in 2018. When he first got a tablet, he said it took him a few days to figure out how to navigate through it, but then “I couldn’t put it down.”

Bishop said he was surprised by how easy it was to learn the skills he needed to earn the AWS certification. “It helps you transition back into society, especially for someone who has been gone so long,” he said.


Also relevant/see:

This AWS Cloud certification program opens new paths for inmates — from amazon.com; with thanks to Paul Fain for this resource
A jail-based program aims to expand career opportunities through cloud-skills training.

Excerpt:

Julian Blair knew nothing about cloud computing when he became incarcerated in a Washington, D.C. jail more than two years ago.

“I’d never done anything with a computer besides video games, typing papers in college, and downloading music on an iPad,” said Blair.

Now, after three months of work with an educational program led by APDS and Amazon Web Services (AWS) inside the jail, Blair and 10 other residents at the facility have successfully passed the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.