CJEI Joins Prison-to-Professionals Job Fair
“Grassroots efforts like these are the heart and soul of changing the labor landscape for justice-impacted job-seekers,” said Jodi Anderson Jr. during the 2023 Prison-to-Professionals (P2P) Job Fair. Aiming to promote workforce equity and provide opportunities for justice-impacted individuals, Cornell ILR School’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI) partnered with P2P’s Basia Skudrzyk and Mancy Thompson to kick off the 9th edition of the job fair over zoom.
"It's not about second chances, it’s about providing environments and understanding to our scholars, but more so to employers and our community to humanize experiences for people who want to achieve their fullest potential,” said Skudrzyk, workforce equity director at P2P.
Combining the might of P2P and CJEI, the job fair brought together hiring and resource partners, leaders with lived experience, as well as service providers to support candidates with justice involvement in their pursuit of meaningful employment.
CJEI leveraged its range of essential resources, including legal rights education, expungement assistance, employer resources, and enrollment in the Restorative Record project, to empower the attending job seekers in their reentry process.
“CJEI and P2P’s partnership truly has the potential to bring about important change,” said Anderson Jr., director of technological innovation at CJEI. “P2P has the largest cohort of high caliber, formerly incarcerated citizens who have turned to higher education to transform their lives and contribute to society. We are extremely excited that they are going to be involved in some of our future studies, including the groundbreaking Restorative Record Project.”
P2P’s flagship initiative, the Bridges to Baccalaureate Program, was a highlight of the job fair and demonstrated the organization’s commitment to cutting edge initiatives with concrete outcomes. The program provides a two-year educational journey from Baltimore City Community College to Howard University with fully paid tuition, allowing participants to earn a degree in a STEM field while accessing comprehensive support for their reentry into the workforce. Scholars will build the skills to be a part of the solution to workforce challenges and systemic injustices.
CJEI was joined by other organizational participants such as: Baltimore City Community College, EdTrust, Checkr, CSCMP - Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, FreeWorld, Howard University, St. Louis University, TCSTL, The JEAP Initiative, The Petey Greene Program, and Vera Institute, amongst others.
“Education is the closest thing to magic," said Skudrzyk, inspired by the turnout for the job fair. Witnessing individuals realize their potential through education, access to resources, and meaningful employment opportunities serves as a powerful motivator for all involved.