The announcement, which came in National Apprenticeship Week, follows the employment of 20 day-release prisoners from the open farm prison last autumn as order pickers at the Tesco distribution centre in Avonmouth.
The UK Government claims the “unprecedented” and “game-changing” move to provide job-based training in key industries will help cut crime and the £18bn cost of reoffending, and address local labour shortages.
Mr Raab, who was at the prison last Thursday (February 10), said: “We are introducing prisoner apprenticeships to give offenders the skills and training they need to secure a job on release.
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“Getting offenders into work offers them a second chance to lead a more positive life and stay on the straight and narrow.
“Breaking the cycle of crime is critical to our mission to drive down reoffending, cut crime and protect the public.
“We are getting more offenders into work – a vital way to keep them away from crime and protect the public.”
“We want everyone to have access to the high-quality training they need to progress and build a brighter future.
“Apprenticeships will offer prisoners a life-changing chance to gain the skills they need to secure a rewarding career, while providing more businesses with the skilled workforce they need to grow.”
Dominic Raab
He met offenders working in agriculture in maintenance, animal care and woodland management on his visit to HMP Prescoed and Cilwrgi farm.
The prison is seen as a leader in work-based training, giving inmates the chance to plug local skills shortages and boost the community.
Prisoners nationwide are already able to study, train and work while in jail and 5,000 prisoners take part in vital work in the community through release on temporary license, where they learn important skills and help shore up local labour shortages.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said that polling published last year found that nine out of ten businesses that hire ex-offenders say they are reliable, good at their job, punctual and trustworthy.
“Currently prisoners are unable to take advantage of apprenticeships, which would give them access to gold-standard training where they can gain the skills needed to secure work on release - with evidence showing that prison leavers in work are significantly less likely to re-offend,” the said.
“The government will change the law so that prisoners at open prisons across England are able to apply for apprenticeship opportunities in vital industries, including hospitality and construction, providing direct routes into jobs with businesses in the community.”
The scheme will see hundreds of prisoners start an apprenticeship by 2025, with pre-apprenticeship training offered to thousands more – preparing them for a full apprenticeship scheme or a higher skilled job on release.
Marie-Claire O’Brien, CEO and founder of The New Leaf Initiative rehabilitation project, said: “After campaigning and researching for years on the topic of Prisoners ineligibility to be included as Trainees and Apprentices, we are extremely excited about the news today.
“The fact that both Secretary of State for Justice and Education are supporting the ground-breaking, yet common sense change in Law to enable prisoners and Industry to access this solution in difficult economic times is imperative for a variety of reasons.”