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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Table of Contents
Department of Commerce: Executive Order 16-05 Summary .............................................................. 2
Outreach Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 2-5
Outreach Plan Goals ................................................................................................................................ 2
Outreach Strategies ................................................................................................................................ 2-3
Target Audiences/Stakeholders................................................................................................................. 3
Core Activities and Actions ...................................................................................................................... 3
Tools or Measures to Assess Progress .................................................................................................. 4-5
Agency Contacts ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Appendix: Outreach Efforts to Date ..................................................................................................... 6-8
High Tech Companies ................................................................................................................................. 7
Maritime ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Construction and Demolition .................................................................................................................. 7-8
Collaboration with Discover Washington’s Hidden Workforce Employer Forum ............................. 8
Mock Interview Events .............................................................................................................................. 8
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Corporate Outreach Plan
Department of Commerce: Executive Order 16-05 Summary
In Executive Order 16-05, Governor Inslee directed the Department of Commerce (Commerce) to build a
corporate outreach plan with the Washington Department of Corrections’ (Corrections) Correctional
Industries (CI) to:
Identify workforce needs that may be met with appropriately trained individuals with criminal
backgrounds; and,
Build commitment within the business community to remove barriers for qualified applicants
with criminal records so that they may compete for living wage jobs.
Currently, there are over 19,000 individuals confined under Corrections’ jurisdiction and more than 96
percent of them will be released back to their communities. The Office of the Governor released a report
in May 2017 outlining various state agencies’ efforts engaged in addressing barriers to successful reentry
of individuals with justice system involvement.
Outreach Plan
As agencies whose missions are to strengthen communities and expand marketable job skills, Commerce
and Corrections are well positioned to connect trained individuals with barrier-free reentry back into their
communities throughout the State of Washington. Through collaboration, education and innovative ideas,
skilled and motivated individuals releasing from incarceration can be seen by employers as promising
candidates for employment.
Outreach Plan Goals
1. Build commitment within the business community and state agencies to remove barriers for
qualified applicants with criminal records so they may compete for living wage jobs;
2. Communicate the skills, abilities and talents of individuals releasing to employers, job placement
organizations, job coordinators, recruiters, and industry groups; and
3. Identify available jobs, sectors in need of talent, and careers for people releasing from
incarceration.
Outreach Strategies
Identify key sectors in need of a workforce through Commerce sector leads;
Identify policy barriers, i.e., housing, employment, professional licensing;
Obtain any data available related to the utilization of Certificate of Restoration of Opportunity
(CROP) from the Department of Labor;
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Identify key stakeholders at state agencies to implement further hiring policies intended to
encourage full workforce participation of motivated and qualified justice involved persons;
Identify and engage influential business and other community leaders;
Identify and participate in existing events or forums appropriate for the subject, i.e., CI’s
Discover Washington’s Hidden Workforce employer engagement events; correctional facility-
based career fairs;
Identify locations and media for advertising (radio, video, magazines, podcasts); and,
Plan and design multi-agency outreach materials.
Target Audiences/Stakeholders
Corrections and Commerce are actively educating Washington State employers about appropriately
trained individuals to meet their workforce needs in addition to potential incentives for removing barriers
to employment. Many employers do not realize that justice-involved individuals are returning to our
communities with technical and soft skills, education, pre-apprenticeship training, job search and
interview skills to name a few. Many employers can also benefit from information on potential tax credits
and bonding programs available for hiring individuals with justice system involvement. Corrections and
Commerce are targeting all Washington State:
Employers;
Public and private employment agencies;
Local labor organizations;
Associate development organizations like Workforce Development Councils, Rotary Clubs and
Chambers of Commerce; and
Public and private service providers.
Core Activities and Actions
Statewide Reentry Council executive director has attended quarterly Commerce sector-led
meetings to cross-pollinate employer information to Corrections;
Corrections, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and Commerce
actively seek ongoing opportunities to collaborate on new employment partnerships;
Work with media outlets to develop a positive, third-party validated story;
o Suggestions: Drew Mikkelsen, KING5; Monique Ming-Laven, KIRO; Austin Jenkins,
KNKX
Newspaper story highlighting activities (i.e., mock interview fair); and,
o Suggestions: Puget Sound Business Journal; The Seattle Times; Seattle Business
Magazine; Spokane Journal of Business
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Collaborate outreach at future employer events or conferences hosted by Commerce and/or
Corrections.
Tools or Measures to Assess Progress
All people leaving a state correctional facility or Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) facility receive
electronic and/or hard copies of necessary documents to include certificates of completion,
medical information, voter registration forms, etc.;
Corrections and JR will pilot technological solutions that improve safe and successful transition
to the community;
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) will work with state agencies to reduce barriers to
state employment;
Department of Licensing has now established a mechanism to provide a Washington State
identification card to individuals leaving a state correctional facility;
Department of Social and Health Services will develop mechanism to pre-screen qualified
individuals for federal and state benefits before leaving a correctional facility;
Employment Security Department (ESD) will facilitate access to the WorkSource system to allow
Corrections and JR staff to input employment and training information obtained by incarcerated
individuals;
SBCTC will create a post-secondary education and apprenticeship pathway in collaboration with
Corrections, JR, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction;
SBCTC and CI will identify both apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities within
correctional facilities;
State Cybersecurity Office will recommend secure internet-based reentry tools for Corrections
and JR individuals such as ESD’s job search system, library materials for education programs,
housing information, college information, etc.;
Health Care Authority shall develop a process that allows Medicaid benefits to suspend rather
than terminate upon an individual’s incarceration;
Count of new contacts, by name and organization;
Develop a cross-sector employer advisory group;
Count number of employers willing to hire formerly incarcerated individuals;
Count of facility or employer tours;
Post-release employment via data sharing agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with
ESD;
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
CI established a documented process to regularly review labor market data developed by ESD
that includes top occupations, skills, certifications, wage reports, etc.;
CI established a documented process to compare Standard Occupational Classification codes to
labor market data developed by ESD;
Sustainable relationships/contracts or new activities that resulted from outreach;
Identify and deploy best practices in employer engagement;
Develop employer needs survey for businesses that employ formerly incarcerated individuals;
Target growth in more difficult to enter fields and measure activity;
Count apprenticeship participants;
Assess longevity/retention;
Identify median wage jobs;
Improved competition for living wage jobs;
Count of outreach that included Commerce sector leads and CI each year; and
Count of Commerce sector leads and partner employers attending mock interviews or other
Corrections/Commerce collaborations.
Agency Contacts
Department of Commerce:
Christopher Poulos, Executive Director, Statewide Reentry Council
Chris Green, Assistant Director, Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness
Department of Corrections:
Danielle Armbruster, Assistant Secretary, Reentry Division, Department of Corrections
Sarah Sytsma, Director, Correctional Industries, Department of Corrections
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Appendix
Outreach Efforts to Date
Participated in Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation Employer Summit, Summer 2017;
Presented a collaborative, cross agency Employer Forum with Commerce, Corrections, and
SBCTC, Fall 2017;
Reentry Council executive director met with founder of Dave’s Killer Bread, MOD Pizza
representative, Defy Ventures executive director, Pioneer Human Services, Workforce
Foundation CEO, 2018-2019;
Reentry Council executive director attended first national convening of formerly incarcerated
attorneys and legal professionals to address barriers to professional trades including licensure;
Reentry Council executive director attended TRAC groundbreaking ceremony at Mission Creek
Corrections Center for Women, 2018;
Held annual CI Mock Interview Fairs in state correctional facilities statewide; and
Organized tours by CI at the following:
Monroe Correctional Complex tour attendees:
Cary Retlin, Commerce
John Thornquist, Commerce
Dr. Joseph Williams, Information and Communication Technology Sector Lead, Commerce
Joshua Grice, Washington State Institute for Public Policy
Brian Hatfield, Commerce, Forest Products Sector Lead
Emily Grossman, Commerce
Stafford Creek Correctional Center tour attendees:
Christopher Green, Commerce
Joel Getzendanner, Employment Security
Stephen Dunk, Commerce
Andre “Dru” Garson, Grays Harbor Inc.
Joseph Meyer, Grays Harbor Inc.
Brian Hatfield, Commerce, Forest Products Sector Lead
Emily Grossman, Commerce
Cary Retlin, Commerce
Kris Bitney, Washington State Institute for Public Policy
McNeil Island Stewardship tour attendees:
Joshua Berger, Commerce
Mike Pearson, Commerce
Cary Retlin, Commerce
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Washington Corrections Center for Women tour attendees:
Cary Retlin, Commerce
Christopher Poulos, Statewide Reentry Council
Stephen Dunk, Commerce
Emily Grossman, Commerce
Julie Montgomery, Commerce
Kris Bitney, Washington State Institute for Public Policy
Joshua Grice, Washington State Institute for Public Policy
Stephanie Scott, Commerce
High Tech
Stafford Creek tour participant Dr. Joseph Williams, Commerce’s Director of Economic Development for
the Information and Communication Technology Sector, suggested contacting Unloop, which is training
computer coding to men and women aiding their transition into the tech industry after release. Unloop
recently received a grant to help coordinate a web-based statewide reentry information portal.
Christopher Poulos met with the creators of Unloop and they presented to the Council’s January meeting
hosted at Commerce in Olympia. Unloop remains a promising partner for continued collaboration.
Christopher Poulos also met with a representative of MOD Pizza and toured and met with Pioneer Human
Services staff. Both of these organizations have a mission and reputation as ‘fair chance employers.’
Cary Retlin, Commerce, reached out to Margaret Au, the Business Development Manager in the
Opportunity Management Center at Microsoft, to begin funding conversations through the foundation and
discuss a potential employment pipeline. Brian Walsh, former policy associate with SBCTC, reached out
to Microsoft on those topics. Chris Green recommends reaching out to Amazon’s public relations
department first, then contact the hiring manager/workforce development unit. The Statewide Reentry
Council Executive Director, Christopher Poulos, will reach out to Amazon’s public relations department
and report back to the Council.
At a Statewide Reentry Council meeting, Mauricio Ayon presented “Second Chance Hiring,” a new
website that provides information for business owners to encourage them to hire people who have been
justice system involved. A project with the Washington Technology Industry Association, the website
highlights fair chance hiring businesses and encourages other businesses to participate in fair chance
hiring practices.
Maritime
CI initiated a series of meetings and tours including Commerce, SBCTC, and a Puget Sound shipbuilder,
Vigor, to expand and formalize a partnership to prepare men for work in the maritime industry after
leaving Cedar Creek Corrections Center. To date, three meetings have occurred, two at the McNeil Island
Stewardship and one at Vigor. Around 10 men currently travel to McNeil Island to support the ferries and
other maritime infrastructure that supports the Special Commitment Center and other activities on the
island. Currently, SBCTC and CI are exploring more training support so men are ready to be employed by
Vigor with specific high demand skills and certifications. The training partnership will be replicated
elsewhere if it is successful.
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Washington Department of Commerce and Washington Department of Corrections
2019 Corporate Outreach Plan
Construction and Demolition
Christopher Poulos met with Mari and Aaron Borrero regarding their company, American Abatement and
Demo, an asbestos and lead removal company that employs many formerly incarcerated people. Their
goal is to assist people with criminal records by providing employment and mentorship as a way to create
future opportunities for their employees. They would like to start working more with Corrections to
address the many needs of formerly incarcerated individuals.
In March 2018, the State of Oregon officially recognized CI’s Trade Related Apprenticeship Coaching
(TRAC) program as a pre-apprenticeship program. The certificate states, “Through the generous gift of
your time and energy, you have played an important part in the development of a sound national
apprenticeship system and have made an outstanding contribution to apprenticeship and training in
Oregon.” Women releasing in southwest Washington have an opportunity to continue their future
apprenticeship employment opportunities in the trades through the recognition.
Collaboration with Discover Washington’s Hidden Workforce Employer
Forum
In 2018, for the first time, Commerce and the Statewide Reentry Council collaborated with CI to promote
the Discover Washington’s Hidden Workforce Employer Forum at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.
Mock Interview Events
Cary Retlin attended multiple mock interviews around the state and Commerce is committed to
continuing to help bring new Commerce connections to future events. CI and Commerce will collaborate
to grow employer engagement at similar events in the future. Retlin also joined Joshua Berger, the sector
lead for the maritime industry, for a mock interview fair for Cedar Creek Corrections Center workers.
Commerce has committed to ensuring that all sector leads attend a mock interview to learn more about
the needs of men and women reentering the community – and recruit employers to attend those events.
Christopher Poulos also attended and presented at a job fair event at the Federal Detention Center in
SeaTac.
