North Carolina Expands NCJET to 22 Prisons, Reaching Nearly 700 Inmates

Q: Beyond prison walls, are NCJET graduates finding stable careers or just temporary, low-wage jobs?

There is no public evidence in the material provided showing that NCJET participants are consistently landing stable careers rather than temporary, low-wage work. What is documented is that NCJET is expanding quickly and is designed to improve the odds of employment by letting people nearing release build résumés, search jobs, and connect with “second chance” employers before they leave prison. Their accounts then transfer to NCWorks Online after release, giving them continued access to job-search tools. State officials present the program as a way to speed entry into the workforce and support reentry. But the available reporting does not include outcome data such as job retention, wages, full-time versus temporary placement, benefits, or career advancement for NCJET users after release. Without those measures, it is not possible to say whether the program is producing long-term career stability. The broader context suggests caution. Research cited in the background shows only about 37% of formerly incarcerated people nationally and about 41% in North Carolina find work within a year of release, and many face barriers that often push them toward lower-paying, less secure jobs. That means NCJET is addressing a real need, but it is operating in a labor market where stable employment remains difficult. So far, NCJET appears promising as a pre-release job-readiness tool, but whether it leads to durable careers is still unproven based on the information available.

2 articles · Updated · WWAY NewsChannel 3 · Jul 14

Nearly 700 incarcerated people in North Carolina can now use the NCJET employment program after it expanded from a single pilot site to 22 state correctional facilities.
The online system targets people within about six months of release, letting them build resumes, explore careers and search jobs with help from correctional staff.
NCJET also highlights employers willing to hire formerly incarcerated workers, and participants’ accounts shift to NCWorks Online after release for full job-search and application access.
State officials say the expansion aims to speed post-release employment as about 96% of incarcerated people in North Carolina eventually return to their communities.
The Department of Adult Correction and Department of Commerce plan to keep widening the program, with a long-term goal of putting computers or kiosks in every state prison.