Vocational/Life Skills Programs

Vocational/Life Skills Programs

Being prepared to work upon release is an important component to successful reentry and how we keep people safe. NDCS offers a variety of vocational and life skills training programs. 

In 2014, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB 907, which allocated funds for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to partner with community agencies to provide vocational & life skills training to people while incarcerated, on parole or under probation supervision and for up to 18 months after discharge. The providers apply for a grant and are selected based on specified criteria. The current three-year grant cycle, which began in July of 2023, includes the vocational & life skills partners*** listed below. 

These grant-funded programs, along with other vocational programs listed below, provide a variety of services intended to increase employability and reduce recidivism. They target the five stabilizing factors including: housing, employment/education, mental health, substance use, and supportive relationships. 

Programsort ascending Description
Yin Yoga

Learning and practicing meditation through body movements and stretches. All poses are designed to be done on bunks.

Need addressed:  Health, outside interest

Within My Reach Workshop

A skills based program with tools to help participants interact in a more enriching, and satisfying way with others in their lives. 

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Need addressed:  Life skills

Within My Reach

a skills based program addressing critical tools to help participants interact with those in their lives.  Subjects are knowing yourself first, smart love and making your own decisions.

Need addressed:  Life skills

Welding Apprenticeship

Teaches welding skills.


Need addressed:  Employment

Upholstery Apprenticeship

Trains staff in the skills of doing upholstery work.


Need addressed:  Employment

University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) Couple and Family Clinic

The UNL Couple and Family Resource Center provides psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families.  Some programs have a cost. 

Need addressed:  family/parenting

Understanding Birth

Teaches participants about healthy pregnancy and postpartum habits.

Need addressed:  Family, lifeskills.

The Challenge Program-Challenge Series

Program consists of a journaling and programs to assist the individual work through changing attitudes and behavior.

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Need addressed:  Attitudes/Behavior

Structural Fabricator Assembler Apprenticeship

Instruction and learning to fabricate position, align and fit parts of structural metal parts.  

Need addressed:  employement

Shop Tailor Apprenticeship

Instruction and apprenticeship learning in design, creating, altering and repair of garments.

Need addressed:  Lifeskills and employment

Serve Safe

Food safety certification course which covers food borne illness, how to prevent it; purchasing and receiving guidelines; food prep, holding and serving guidelines; food safety management, systems and sanitation guidelines.


Needs addressed:  Employment; life skills.

RISE Reentry Support

Provides case management to RISE graduates at the facility including job support, housing support, reentry support.

Needs addressed:  Reentry, 

RISE Program Support

Provides assistance for RISE students who wish to complete the program started in a secure facility.  

Need addressed:  vocational/life skills

RISE Continuing Education Program

Continuing education for all RISE graduates.  

Need Addressed:  Employment and Reentry

RISE

This program targets entrepreneurial-minded individuals and offers intensive leadership development, business plan competitions, executive mentoring, financial investment, and startup incubation.


Needs addressed:  Life skills; employment, reentry

Resume class Omaha Library

The Omaha Public Library provides resume classes to help incarcerated individuals prepare for employment searches and interviews.


Need addressed:  Employment; vocational Life skills.

Reentry Inner Circle

A team of peer ambassadors who assist incarcerated individuals with questions regarding reentry and resources available upon reentry.

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Need addressed:  Life skills

Reconnect: Success Prep

Helps participants examine behaviors and attitudes that may have contributed to their incarceration and focus on skills critical to reentry.


Needs addressed:  Attitudes, behavior, life skills.

ReConnect: Final Number

Helps participants learn to make better choices and examine thinking patterns, preparing them to take advantage of opportunities in prison that will help them succeed.


Needs addressed:  Attitudes, behavior.

Reconnect Right Start

A two week job readiness and career assessment class.  Participants will learn the imporatnce of career assessments in employment success.

Need addressed:  employment

Print and Bindery Apprenticeship

Instruction and training in the binding of books and other publications, finishing products by hand or machine.  Operate binding and finishing machines.  

Persevere

Trains individuals to become computer coders.

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Need addressed:  Employment

Opening Doors Welding

Teaches general knowledge of welding skills and techniques specific to MIG welding. 

Need addressed: employment

Opening Doors Seeking Safety

Educates about  consequences of trauma and the links between trauma and substance use.

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Addressed Need:   Lifeskills

Opening Doors Forklift and Warehouse Operations Module

Teaches OSHA safety practices for forklift operations and OSHA safety practices for general certification of operations of both the YALE and Drexler forklifts.  

Need addressed:  employment

Opening Doors Core Class

The TRADE Program teaches conflict resolution; critical thinking; communication; personal finance; healthy relationships; basic computer; job preparation.


Needs Addressed:  Life skills; employment.

Opening Doors Computer Proficiency

Teaches a variety of occupational skills including typing, computer training, customer service training, business telephone etiquette, and microsoft office software training.  

Need addressed:  Vocational/Lifeskills

Opening Doors CAD (Computer Aided Drafting and Blueprint)

Teaches CAD software to increase productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation and to create a database of manufacturing. 

Need addressed:  Employment

One Heart Project

Life skills and mentoring program

Needs addressed:  Employment, reentry family

Offset Press Operator Apprenticeship

Training in how to operate and offset printer in the Print Shop.


Need addressed:  Employment.

Nutrition

Educates participants on healthy eating, thinking and exercise.

Need addressed:  Life skills

Nebraska Dept. of Transportation Flagger Course

The course provides necessary instruction and testing for certification as an NDOT Road Construction Flagger.  This certification is good for two years.


Need addressed:  Employment.

Mindfulness Yoga

Learning and practicing meditation through body movements.

Need addressed":  Life skills

Midplains Community College Scissor Lift and Skid Loader Operator Training

Trains participants to use the scissor lift and skid loader.

Need addressed:  Employment

Midplains Community College Forklift Operator Safety Training

Forklift operating and use training.


Need addressed:  Employment.

Midplains Community College Focus Four Hazards Training

Trains participants to respond to falls, caught in between, struck by and electrocutions--OSHA hazards focus.


Need addressed:  Employment and life skills.

Midplains Community College Essential Skills in the Workplace

Develops basic employment soft skills such as interviewing, resume building, application completion, appropriate work behavior.

Need area addressed:  Employment 

Midplains Community College CPR and First Aid Training

CPR and First Aid training.


Need addressed:  Life skills.

Midland University Reentry Code Academy

Trains individuals to become level 1 computer coders.

Metro Community College-Vocational Certificate

PROT 1000 Series Diversified Manufacturing Intro to Process and Power Operations; safety topics in PROT; intro to process in manufacturing and quality.

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Need addressed:  vocational and life skills

Metro Community College (MCC)-ACT National Career Readiness

Measures/certifies skills needed for job success.  Used by employers, educators and others  to provide evidence that job seekers have the skills employers are looking for.  

Need addressed:  Vocational Life skills

Metro Community College (MCC) Welding Preparation

Teaches basic welding courses for entry level welding employment.

Need addressed:  Employment

Metro Community College (MCC) OSHA 10 or 30 Hour

Comprehensive training in mandated job safety requirements and guidelines.

Need addressed:  Employment

Metro Community College (MCC) Orientation/Initial Communication

Teaches and discusses career planning, program determination, scholarship information, registering for classes/training, financial aid/funding information, conducting assessments, creation of educational plans, and assists students with community resources referrals. 

Needs addressed:  Education, employment

Metro Community college (MCC) Financial Empowerment

Workshop to learn how to creat and stick to a budger, understand and manage credit, and build savings realistically.  

Need addressed:  Life skills

Metro Community College (MCC) CDL Preparation

Teaches CDL safety fundamentals, develops awareness of essential regulatory requirements and responsibilities not related directly to driving, explores practical CDL application of information to hands on training with a truck trainer simulator.  

Need addressed:  Employment

Metro Community College (MCC) 180 Outreach Support

Assists individuals with education, training, workforce and transition support.  

Need addressed:  education and employment support

Mental Health Association Wellness and Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)

Discusses deescalation; decision making and consequences; how trauma impacts; and how to overcome negative ways of dealing with stressful situations and crises.  Need addressed:  Life skills.

Mental Health Association (MHA) REAL Peer Outreach

Provides ongoing community based support services to participants including advocating and supporting participants who want to find housing; referral and assistance obtaining other community services.

Needs addressed:  support and life skills

Mental Health Association (MHA) Inmate Support

Inmate support is provided inside NDCS facilities by Mental Health Association peers trained in Intentional Peer Support.

Needs addressed:  Support

Mental Health Association (MHA) HOPE supported employment

Helps people find competitive jobs that are based on the person's preferences and abilities, developing resumes, completing job applications, preparing for interviews.

Need addressed: employment

Materials Coordinator Apprenticeship

Instruction and training in material handling including shipping and receiving.

Need addressed:  Employment

Manufacturing Tech Certification

Provides opportunity for those with no prior experience in manufacturing to receive training.

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Need addressed:  Employment

Machine Operator Apprenticeship

Instruction and training to operate and tender multiple machine tools setters.


Need addressed:  Employment

Laundry Machine Mechanic

Training in industrial mechanics

Needs Addressed:  Employment

Launch Leadership

Builds leadership skills through communication.

Needs addressed:  Attitudes/behavior, employment.

Ironing Class

The class is designed to teach participants the importance of appearance and grooming. 

Need addressed:  Lifeskill

Illegal to legal

Participants learn that they have skills that will transfer to employment opportunities.

Need Addresses:  Employment

Health Course

This program, delivered by a wellness expert, provides workshops on preventative health education and nutrition, such as Men's Birth Control; Date Abuse; Bullying; Gender Boxes; and Hygiene.


Need addressed:  Health.

Grudge Reduction

This group provides a schema focused mindfulness based approach to grudge reduction and forgiveness.  

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Need addressed:  Life skills

Goals , Plans, and Strategies for Reentry and Life Success (GPS)

Two learning modules to develop reentry and life skills

Addresses:  life skills

Furniture Finisher Apprenticeship

Instruction and training in shaping, finishing, and refinishing damaged, warn or used furniture or new high grade furniture to specification.


Need Addressed:  Employment

Foundations and Change Plan

A cognitive behavioral journal in which participants develop a healthy path during incarceration and through reentry. 

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Need addressed:  Life skills

Forklift Certification-CSI

Training in how to use and operate a forklift.


Need addressed:  Employment

Fit Citizens

Participants are provided with nutrition and fitness training.

Need addressed:  Life skills

Financial Empowerment

Educates participants of investing, credit and money management.

Electrical

Coursework involves classroom and Project based learning.  Instruction includes care and use of tools, safety, work habits, fundamental math, and communication skills. Application acceptance and GED required.

Need addressed:  Employment

Destination Dads Parenting Workshop

Provides parents with techniques that will aid them in building good family relationships, prevent and correct misbehavior, use consequences to improve behavior, teach self-control, and staying calm.

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Need addressed life skills/parenting

 

 

Department of Labor Workforce Development

Helps participants develop a resume, prepare for interviews and work on job skills.


Need area addressed:  Employment

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Routing Operator Apprenticeship

Instruction and training to set up, operate, and tend a computer controlled wood routing machine.


Employment

Computer based Education and Training

Certificate program utilizing tablets for improvement in academics and job training. 

Need addressed:  Education. employment

Compassion in Action Pre-Release Education and Reentry Preparation

The class helps participants realize that although they made mistakes and poor choices, that they are worthwhile and matter.  That by investing in themselves through service, they can find fulfillment.  

Community Alliance Seeking Safety

Educates about the consequences of trauma and the links between trauma and substance use.  

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Need addressed:  substance use

Community Alliance Financial Literacy

Education on creting and sticking to a budget, managing credit and building savings.

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Addressed Need:  Life skills

Community Alliance Charting a New Course

Education on intervention, diversion, and aftercare including stages of change.

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Addresses:  substance use

Chemical Operator Apprenticeship

Instruction and training to operate or tend chemical equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of institutional janitorial chemical products. 


Need addressed:  Employment

Carpentry

Classroom and Project based learning in the area of carpentry.  Subjects include care and use of tools, safety, work habits, fundamental math, communication skills.  Application acceptance and GED required. 

Needs addressed:  employment.

Career Readiness

Helps individuals identify a specific career path; learn professional and personal skills to assist them in getting a job.

Need addressed:  Employment

Cabinet Maker Apprentice

Apprenticeship for learning carpentry skills. 


Need addressed:  Employment

Brothers in Blue

Faith based life skills program provided in the form of a four day retreat and once a month  check-ins.  

Braille Transcription Certification

Library of Congress Braille Certification in the areas of , Literary, Nemeth, Music, Foreign Language and Proofreading.

Need addressed:  Life skills

Associated Linen Management Certification

Teaches skills in the area of laundry management. 


Need Addressed:  Employment

Alpha

Alpha promotes daily living skills and encourages character development. All classes are biblically based and open to anyone, regardless of religious affiliation. The program includes lessons on addiction prevention, understanding marriage, understanding parenthood and managing finances.


Needs Addressed:  Attitudes; behavior; life skills, family

ABC Trades Curriculum Courses

 

ABC Currently offers accelerated or four year trade courses in electrical, plumbing, welding, HVAC and carpentry.  Selected candidates for this program will be interested in the trade as a career.  Trainees will work with journeymen and will receive help with finding employment in the industry. 

Needs addressed:  Employment

 

ABC OSHA General Industries

This course provides entry-level information about employee rights; employer responsibilities; how to file a complaint; how to identify and prevent job related hazards. 


Need Addressed:  Employment

ABC Core Curriculum

This program introduces basic construction safety; construction math, hand tools, power tools, construction drawing, rigging; communication skills; employability skills, and material handling.


Need addressed:  Employment

ABC Construction: OSHA Construction

This program provides an overview of safety applications on a construction site as well as training on governmental regulations.


Need Addressed:  Employment

ABC Construction Virtual Welding

Provides training in welding safety, basic welding information and welding defects.  Will give participants the tools to make welding corrections.

Need addressed:  Employment

ABC Construction Technology

 

Introduces masonry, carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing.

Need Addressed:  Employment

ABC Applied Construction Math

This program provides learning in the area of construction math such as division, decimals/percentages, reading measurements, calculating area, linear measures, angles, volume, solving for the unknown.


Need Addressed:  Employment

ABC Virtual Electric

Introduces concepts of basic electrical wiring, presented by classroom instruction, along with hands-on experience by working with virtual electrical panels.

Need addressed:  Employment