Diamonds in the Rough — from the-job.beehiiv.com by Paul Fain
One of the country’s largest community college districts expands support for students with criminal records—and the employers who hire them.
Clearing Records, Building Careers
The Big Idea: Toyotetsu is now one of several employers in talks with Alamo Colleges as they expand their support for students with criminal backgrounds. The effort is part of a larger push to broaden the colleges’ role in lifting up their cities and regions. Alamo Colleges is one of 15 institutions participating in Achieving the Dream’s Community Vibrancy Cohort, which encourages community colleges to reimagine their role in the health and economic success of their communities.
Before joining the Achieving the Dream cohort, San Antonio College was already establishing an associate degree program at Dominguez State Jail. Julia Stotts, director of strategic planning and partnerships for the Alamo Colleges Foundation, says the initiative spurred leaders to think about how to also help those kinds of students after release.
“The earlier we can catch these students who are having these challenges, the better off they’re going to be,” Stotts says.