Agency News
VADOC Unveils “Education on the Move” Mobile Welding Trailer for Correctional Education Students
July 08, 2024
The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) continues to demonstrate its commitment to correctional education by providing inmates and probationers valuable programs for effective reentry. On Tuesday, the VADOC unveiled its state-of-the-art “Education on the Move” Mobile Welding Trailer, which will allow more VADOC students the opportunity to pursue a career in welding.
The “Education on the Move” Mobile Welding Trailer features six welding stations within the mobile learning center, along with six highly realistic virtual reality (VR) welding simulators. The mobile welding trailer will allow VADOC inmates and probationers to participate in a three-to-five-month program, taught in a cohort learning environment by an instructor licensed by the Virginia Department of Education. The program will offer instruction in a variety of welding methods.
The VADOC’s mobile welding program will be offered at four locations: Chesterfield Women’s and Brunswick community corrections alternative programs (CCAP), and Nottoway and Deerfield work centers. The VADOC also has four welding programs across the Commonwealth that are housed in a traditional, non-mobile setting at Appalachian CCAP, Coffeewood Correctional Center, Dillwyn Correctional Center, and State Farm Work Center (which houses female inmates).
Students who complete the program will be better prepared for reentry with job skills ready for the welding industry. According to VADOC research, the recidivism rate for those completing any Career and Technical Education programs is 12.4% for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which indicates an 87.6% success rate.
“The ‘Education on the Move’ Mobile Welding Trailer is a significant advancement, not just for the Virginia Department of Corrections, but for the entire Commonwealth of Virginia,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “This mobile learning center allows our Department to meet probationers and inmates at their facilities and teach them valuable career skills. That leads to a better reentry process, which in turn helps ensure long-term public safety. Thank you to our correctional education team members for their dedication to this project and best of luck to the inmates and probationers who complete these welding courses.”
See more of the “Education on the Move” Mobile Welding Trailer on the VADOC’s YouTube channel.
The VADOC offers more than 125 programs to inmates and supervisees. More information can be found on the VADOC website.