Calel was previously incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution Sandstone (FCI Sandstone) in Minnesota. Kasey was his career counselor through the federally funded Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD) program, operated in Minnesota by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
Now, Calel is working in California and he just earned his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). This is a critically important step toward Calel’s career goal of becoming an over the road trucker. He shared his accomplishment with Kasey by sending a photo of himself with his CDL certificate and a few words that say a lot: “I did it, Kasey!”
Calel is currently employed at a fiber optic company, where he worked while taking CDL training. Now he is searching for other employment opportunities that opened up for him with the CDL he earned. He aspires to potentially become an over the road trucker but will need to go to court to get his conditions modified, which he is currently working on with his parole officer.
Kasey started working with Calel in March 2024, when he was nearing the end of his time at Sandstone. Calel was released in June 2024.
The PROWD program is a pioneering collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It offers employers access to a motivated and skilled talent pool while providing individuals transitioning from federal correctional facilities with the tools and support needed to reintegrate successfully into the workforce.
- Find out more about the PROWD program
- Contact staff at a CareerForce location near you for more information about training opportunities and job search assistance
