Emerge Career and the Sacramento Employment Training Agency (SETA) teamed up to help connect an often misunderstood and overlooked population of workers to help fill highly skilled trade positions: the formerly incarcerated.
Earlier this year, the California DMV cancelled 13,000 commercial driver's licenses of immigrant drivers who are non-citizens in the state under pressure from the Trump administration and the threat of lost federal funding. It followed multiple high-profile big rig crashes involving California immigrant drivers.
Industry experts say fewer truck drivers on the road could mean consumers see higher shipping costs.
One of the careers Emerge is focused on getting ex-offenders connected to is truck driving, helping them navigate every step of the process both through their online, AI-driven proprietary platform and by connecting them to on-site job training.
Dahl says that includes help with housing, food and initial needs as soon as they get out of prison.
Life coaches through their platform help guide the participant to landing a job.
A recent program graduate now looking for employment is David Martinez, 34, of Sacramento. After completing 160 hours of on-site training at Western Truck School in West Sacramento, he is the proud holder of a commercial driver's license, something he calls his fresh start.
David Martinez behind the wheel of a big rig at Western Truck SchoolMartinez says it was hanging around the wrong crowd for years that led him to a robbery charge and a five-year sentence.
He has three children. His youngest daughter was born while he was incarcerated. He says hitting rock bottom is what it took for him to finally get back on track, and he is now more driven than ever to put his family and his faith first.
Western Truck School is California's longest-established truck driver training school, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Nord says people like Martinez are worth investing in. It's why they partnered with SETA and Emerge to help train those getting out of prison and back into the workforce.
Martinez said that while the training is hard, anyone can do it.
Emerge serves about 700 people a year through this program and says it also has a 91% job placement rate.
"The program to date, we haven't had a single re-arrest," Orchingwa said.
Emerge and SETA both say they are proving that reducing recidivism starts with removing these hurdles to finding a job when re-entering society.
SETA has helped the formerly incarcerated re-enter the workforce for decades, but this year they entered into a new three-year contract with Emerge to help drive success for this population in the Sacramento region.
SETA secured the state funding through a Board of State and Community Corrections grant, so the training is completely free for those participating in Emerge's program.
Through SETA's 13 job centers across Sacramento County, they serve about 32,000 people every year. They say 91% of them have significant barriers to employment and will get connected to a job making, on average, $75,000 a year.
"We do change people's lives every day. We've done that for years. You can sense that gratitude in that opportunity," said William Walker, SETA's longtime workforce development manager.
Visit the websites of Emerge Career and SETA for more information on getting connected to local employment.
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