Middle Georgia Technical College

MGTC Graduates Inmates in Commercial Drivers License Training Program

Warner Robins - Wednesday, May 28 will forever be marked as a historic day for Middle Georgia Technical College and eight members of the first graduating class of the Commercial Drivers License Training program held in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC).

For the first time since MGTC began its correctional training programs, an inmate student graduation was held on the Warner Robins campus. Family members and special guests from across the state, including Department of Corrections Commissioner James Donald, were welcomed to the campus by MGTC President Ivan Allen as they came to support the graduates from Long Pre-Release Center (PRC) in Ludiwici.

These eight students were the first to complete the Commercial Drivers License program, the newest correctional training program offered by MGTC. Eventually, this course will be offered at all seven PRCs across the state with the DOC tractor-trailer rig serving as a mobile classroom. Ronald Ray is the instructor for the program.

In addition to the CDL graduates, the Voices of Hope choir, comprised of inmates from Metro State Prison in Atlanta and led by Chaplain Susan Bishop, participated in the program. DOC Commissioner Donald gave remarks to the students, as did Beth Oxford, director of Parole for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.

"This really is great joint effort between several state agencies," said Tom Wellman, director of Correctional Programs at MGTC. "There is a lot involved with putting an inmate behind the wheel of a big truck and we have had a great group of students for the first class. Now when these students are released, they can have a positive impact on society by obtaining jobs and utilizing the skills they have learned during their incarceration."

The CDL initiative is voluntary and requires that the trained offender agree to repay the cost of training. The CDL pilot class started February 2008 at Long PRC with the goal of training as many qualified offenders as possible for careers in the trucking industry. The traveling classroom concept allows the program to be offered to inmates at all Pre-Release Centers and Transitional Centers.

"Approximately 99% of offenders who enter prison will eventually be released back to the community," stated DOC Commissioner Donald. "Research shows that offenders who have vocational job training are better prepared to re-enter society and are more successful in maintaining a crime-free life after prison."

Participants in the CDL program must have impeccable institutional performance and conduct records, meet all Department of Driver Services requirements for licensing, and agree to repay training costs. Graduates of the program will be licensed CDL drivers, and upon transferring to a Transitional Center, will begin employment and repay the cost of the training.

The 18-wheeler used for training was donated by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office from a recent drug seizure. In order to gain certification, students must complete three courses—Fundamentals of Commercial Truck Driving, Basic Operation of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV), and Advanced Operation of a CMV. The training course lasts eight weeks and consists of eight hours of classroom instruction and a total of 175 hours on the road or the driving range.

The Georgia Department of Corrections is the fifth largest prison system in the United States and is responsible for supervising nearly 60,000 state prisoners and over 140,000 probationers. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with nearly 15,000 employees.

Middle Georgia Technical College has had a long-standing partnership with the Department of Corrections to provide training to offenders who are soon to be released. Various programs are offered at prisons and PRCs across the state including VISION Guide Dog Training, Culinary Arts, Computer Technology, and Customer Service training. For more information on MGTC, call 478.988.6800 or log on to www.middlegatech.edu.

Dr. Ivan Allen, MGTC President, receives a special token of appreciation from Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner James Donald at the CDL graduation ceremony.
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Tom Wellman, MGTC director of Correctional Programs (left) and CDL Instructor Ronald Ray (right) are pictured with the first class of CDL graduates.