Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson looks on as about a dozen inmates participate in a National Safety Council driving class inside the Bristol County House of Corrections this week. BCSO photo.

Bristol County inmates train for CDL, welding licenses; Former Voc-Tech leader joins BCSO

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“About a dozen inmates sat in a classroom inside the Bristol County House of Corrections this week. On a large television in front of them was a driving instructor with the National Safety Council who was virtually leading a driving safety class.

She played a video of a motorcycle rider following a van as they drove through a residential setting. A car pulls out of a driveway, forcing everyone to stop short and causing an accident.

She leads the discussion on what could have been done differently. Was speed a factor? What was the environment like? What are the regulations on safe distances when following?


An inmate operates the commercial driving simulator inside the Bristol County House of Corrections in Dartmouth as instructor Jonathan McDonnell looks on. BCSO photo.

The inmates were wrapping up the two-day course, which is a requirement in conjunction with the Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles to get a driver’s license reinstated.

But these inmates not only have the first step down to legally driving a car upon release, they also took the first step in participating in one of the Sheriff’s Office’s new vocational programs.

The Road to Recovery program utilizes a simulator inside the prison combined with hands-on training outside the prison to prepare inmates for a job in commercial transportation. BCSO staff are working with Amaral Auto and Truck Driving School to prepare inmates for the CDL permit test and the full driving/licensing test.

The simulator was purchased with a grant from the MA Skills Capital program.

“A CDL opens so many doors,” Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said. “There is such a need to commercial drivers right now that these inmates can probably walk out of the prison on release day and head directly to a new high-paying job. From cross-country truckers that are gone for weeks to construction-site haulers that work 9-5, the possibilities are almost endless.”

A requirement for a CDL permit is having a driver’s license in good standing, so the BCSO worked with the RMV and National Safety Council to offer the previously mentioned driving safety class virtually so inmates can take steps toward getting their license back to participate in the CDL program.

If commercial driving isn’t their thing, there is another exciting new vocational offering that is currently enrolling and assessing participants. By using virtual reality technology, inmates can learn the basics of welding and earn an industry-recognized credential.

Inmates will participate in an 82-hour virtual welding program taught by an experienced instructor from Old Colony Voc-Tech in Rochester, the same instructor who teaches welding training through MassHire at the New Bedford Career Center. Inmates will earn an OSHA 10 certificate and a Hot Works certification, which is an industry-specific designation.

“Welding is a skill that will always be in demand,” Sheriff Hodgson said. “This absolutely will open a lot of doors for inmates to find work once released.”

Helping the BCSO boost vocational offerings is James O’Brien, the former superintendent of GNB Voc-Tech on Ashley Boulevard in New Bedford. O’Brien retired from the school a few years ago and is now on staff at the BCSO with a focus on increasing vocational opportunities.

“Supt. O’Brien did amazing work at GNB Voc-Tech,” Sheriff Hodgson said. “That school is really a national model for preparing the next generation of workers. We want our vocational programs to be the same, and Mr. O’Brien will be a big help in that department.””

About Michael Silvia

Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Owner of New Bedford Guide.

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