Women Hope Training Leads To Better Life Outside Of Prison

FOLSOM (CBS13) — Dozens of women in prison learned technical skills that could help keep them from ending up back behind bars.

Some of the women are coming out of prison in less than 30 days and are hoping to find a career.

It could be any graduation ceremony across the country. There are congratulatory speeches and diplomas, but there are no caps or gowns. Fenced in behind barbed wire and concrete, the graduates aren't allowed to leave.

Approximately 70 female inmates at the Folsom Women's Facility are getting job certifications. The program offers nationally accredited certifications in construction, computer-aided design and customer service.

State officials say it's self-supporting by providing labor, goods, and services to other state agencies.

Heather Hampton still has months to do behind bars. When she gets out, she says it will be time well spent.

"It really opened up a whole world I didn't even know was even out there," she said. "I can go in as a draft person -- maybe as a business image modeler. It's going to be great for my future."

Some of the training is intense and can take months to master. But the program is supposed to keep the women out of the prison blues and get them into the workforce.