Chester, PA – Yesterday, The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new optical laboratory at the State Correctional Institution at Chester (SCI Chester). The Pennsylvania Correctional Industries (PCI) optical lab provides additional opportunities for incarcerated individuals to gain hands-on vocational training, develop skills, and prepare for employment following release.
The optical lab at SCI Chester opened in late August staffed by a crew of 10 incarcerated workers – with plans to increase to 16 – who each graduated from a training course to earn an optician certificate. Upon certification, the men were hired after interviewing with the lab foreman. A similar training program and optical lab has operated at SCI Cambridge Springs since 1999. The new optical lab will serve as a finishing facility for glasses started at SCI Cambridge Springs, with workers gaining hands-on experience operating specialized equipment, including optical lens edgers, tinting equipment, lens-verification devices, and frame warmers used to heat eyeglass frames for adjustment and fitting.
“Securing a steady, well-paying job is an important part of successful reentry to the community after incarceration,” said Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary Dr. Laurel Harry. “The Pennsylvania Correctional Industries optical labs not only provide their workers with training and an in-demand certification, they also offer the opportunity to fine tune soft skills like interviewing for a job, meeting deadlines and quotas, and working as part of a team.”
The optical lab at SCI Chester will support the local Lions Club by processing donated eyeglasses before they are distributed to people in need. The SCI Cambridge Springs optical lab has donated 10,000 pairs of eyeglasses to-date. A donation box will be established to provide both staff and incarcerated individuals with an opportunity to donate used eyeglasses.
In addition to providing meaningful employment and training opportunities, expanding the optical program allows PCI to continue providing quality eyeglasses to the incarcerated population in Pennsylvania, as well as state hospitals and nonprofit organizations. PCI is financially self-sufficient, operating a diverse portfolio of shops at 18 state correctional institutions.
“Employment with Pennsylvania Correctional Industries can be an important first step toward reentry as incarcerated workers learn and practice the skills they’ll need to secure employment upon release,” said PCI Director Anne Saint, PhD. “In addition to earning their optician certificate at SCI Chester, workers in the optical lab will also have the opportunity to pursue additional certification through the American Board of Opticianry. Credentials like this help make PCI workers attractive candidates to employers in Pennsylvania and beyond.”
PCI products are available to other Commonwealth agencies, municipal and local governments, and tax-exempt entities. More information is available at cor.pa.gov.
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