Felon wants a career in health care
I was recently reading the previous post about the gentlemen who is trying to obtain his Certified Nurses Assistant license and the advice you gave. I think your blog is awesome and the links and information you give is inspiring and helpful because it allows felons to know that there is help out here just do not give up. The question I have is my husband is approaching being released and has a drug charge on his background. He has a his CNA license but they have expired. I was talking with him on yesterday and he is stating now that he wants to go to school to obtain his degree in X-Ray Tech. He is really excited and although I know that it is going to take a while to get but finding that type of work with a drug charge background to go into this field is it promising or should his career path be of a different choice. I do not want him to get his hopes up but I also do not want him to place all his eggs in one basket. We have recently moved to San Antonio, Texas, where the medical fields here are very promising but I do not know about felons.
I was hoping you may know if this career choice is something that he can continue to be in pursuant of or should he try and detour this decision to obtain something else and if so what. I know the criminal justice department is also very strict. I just do not want him to feel like a failure when something does not come through and hurt trying to provide for himself and family.
Thanks,
KW
Hello,
Thank you for your kind words. It's great that you want to help your husband. Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs need all the help they can get. I know of felons working in the healthcare field. You say that he held a CNA license, so your first step is to see if his conviction affected it. You can contact the medical licensing board in your state to find this out. If he wants to become an X-ray technician, I suggest contacting the same board to see if his conviction would prohibit him becoming certified.
If it is not possible, I would then contact your local One-stop Career Center. There he will find job search assistance including training opportunities that are available and he is eligible for with his conviction. There are often government funds available to help individuals get training for new careers. One-stop Career centers have counselors that have experience assisting ex-offenders and felons looking for employment. As stated in a previous post, you can find your nears center here:
www.servicelocator.org
2 comments :
Hello , My name is Stacy,I live in Ohio. Im 36 and have 3 felonies, the first was in 2001. I worked in plastics prior to it for about 6 1/2 years I've been struggling for work since the first one,but I did get on at a wal mart TLE for 2 years and was darn lucky because when they hired me I had no license lol I did get them back and became a manager before quiting to goto a better paying gig, that ended lil over a year later,due to lay off,economy, hurricane katrina..?? hell idk But anyway,. I was going to school to be a mechanic but didnt finsh. I do however do alot of side jobs with automobiles but they are few and far between. I do construction work also Ive built homes from the ground up, but maintenance work is really my thing...I'm a fixxer lol I've done a lot of millwright work and fabrication.-Im just reaching out hoping the right person may be out there and hook me up with what Ive been looking for--A GOOD STEADY JOB,,BENIFITS WOULD BE A PLUS. I heve 5 children and with that being said have child support issues with 3 of them. I pay what I can but its never enough. I currently have no drivers license because child support took them..Ive had to do 30 days in jail a few years back an now they are tryin to hit me with 60.. I do work and do have applications all over Ive drove ( well had to get rides) to a few places that were up to an hour or so away. I have many skills and have had many hours of both hands on and classroom traing in many fields.. just a few things I do or have done include welding,certified thru the military to solder circut boards for scud missles, tow motor opperating and maintence,concrete, roofing,siding,plumbing,electrical(residential,commercial) robotics,injection molding, plastic extruding,metal fabricator, bob cat,trenchers,back hoe,...well I could go on,but you get the point. but I cant seem to land anything that will either hire me for years or that has anything to offer me.. ..
Hello, my question s I was convicted of Welfare fraud a little over three years ago. I am trying to get my CNA license, but I am having a difficult time with receiving help from the programs that I was told thst I qualify for. What should I do?