Quick Look:
- Tiffany Busch uses VR to learn auto skills before her June release, boosting her readiness for life post-incarceration.
- This organization provides VR-based auto technician training to help former inmates secure jobs and reduce recidivism.
- Collaborated with Vehicles for Change to create immersive VR training, leveraging tech from US Air Force programs.
Tiffany Joseph Busch, a 36-year-old incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women, is among the inmates utilising virtual reality (VR) to prepare for life post-release. Recently, Busch learned how to perform an oil change in a virtual garage using a Meta Quest VR headset. This experience has opened her eyes to the simplicity and accessibility of such skills. Truly, something she wished she had known earlier. With her release expected in June, Busch is eager to apply her acquired skills.
36-Year-Old Inmate Learns Oil Changes with VR
Baltimore-based Vehicles for Change, established in 1999, aims to provide affordable cars to low-income families. The organisation launched an in-person auto technician training program for formerly incarcerated individuals 2016. Now, it is pioneering a VR-based auto technician training initiative in correctional facilities across Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. This innovative program is designed to help inmates gain employment, thereby reducing recidivism rates. The President of Vehicles for Change, Martin Schwartz, believes that securing well-paying jobs can significantly alter the course of former inmates’ lives, ultimately reducing poverty and filling a critical gap in the skilled trades sector.
HTX Labs Partners on Inmate VR Training
HTX Labs, known for developing VR training programs for the US Air Force, partnered with Vehicles for Change to design the auto mechanic training program. This collaboration leverages cutting-edge technology to provide immersive and effective training solutions for inmates, preparing them for successful reentry into society.
Maryland Officials Back VR Training Programs
Maryland’s Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Carolyn Scruggs, emphasises the close collaboration between the corrections department and the state’s Department of Labor to identify industry needs and job vacancies. Danielle Cox, the Director of Education at the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, highlights the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of VR training. According to Cox, VR eliminates the need for extensive physical space and funding. Therefore providing inmates with valuable skills in a fraction of the time required for traditional classroom training.
VR Program Graduates 15 Inmates as Auto Technicians
The VR Auto Technician Training Program at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women has seen three cohorts and 15 graduates since its inception last year. The program equips trainees for roles as tyre lube technicians and prepares them for the Automotive Service Excellence exam. Meagan Carpenter, a current trainee, finds the VR experience liberating and inspiring. She aspires to be a role model for her children. Besides, she attempts to showcase that women can excel in traditionally male-dominated fields.
VR Training Addresses Auto Tech Shortage
The United States faces a significant demand for auto technicians, with trade groups reporting tens of thousands of unfilled positions annually. In Maryland, these roles often offer wages exceeding the state’s $15 per hour minimum wage. Although the cost of VR headsets is around $500 each, this investment is more economical than traditional hands-on training programs.
VR Training Promises Lower Recidivism, Better Jobs
Integrating VR technology in correctional facilities represents a transformative approach to rehabilitation and skills training. By providing inmates with practical and employable skills, programs like the VR Auto Technician Training Program enhance individual prospects and contribute to broader societal benefits. As this technology continues to evolve, it promises to reshape vocational training and reduce recidivism, offering hope for those preparing to reenter society.
COMMENTS