Can felons go to college and get jobs?

Hello,

I came across your website and have gotten some helpful feedback. However, in my situation I am a 21 year old female convicted of felony possession and attempted transportation of marijuana for sale. I'm currently on supervised probation. Expungement is not an early option for at least another 6 months to a year. And even though I'm a first time offender, I think my record is now showing up and I've been denied jobs for the first time in my life. I had to drop out of college because I couldn't afford it just weeks after I caught my case back in 2014 and then convicted and served time in 2015. I was attending a top 100 four-year university majoring in chemical engineering with the pre-med option. I want to change my major to nursing and consider med school later. What are my options as far as employment for the next several months and what are your thoughts on my options for school and funding thereafter?

Can felons go to college and get jobs?

Hello,

Even though expungement may not be an option, you may be able to get a downgrade of your charge. That may make it easier to work with. Speak to an attorney in your local legal aid office to see if this is an option in your state. Even with expungement,  your conviction will always be visible to the court system, law enforcement and government agencies. The only issue may be, if the jobs you want require any certification or licensing.  As I encourage all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs, apply for every job you feel you qualify for.

One thing I teach my students looking for professional jobs, is to apply by sending their resumes with well written cover. letters.  Often when they apply this way, the question of criminal records never comes up.  If it does, they should be prepared to talk about their convictions in a positive way.

Your local One-stop career center may help you get a job. you can find the center nearest to you at this link:

www.servicelocator.org

In reference to going to college, I have numerous students who have gone on to college careers. There are some points of consideration. Some jobs may require certification or licensing. Be sure your conviction will not forbid you from being certified or licensed in your state. Also regarding getting federal financial aid for college, I know of felons and ex-offenders who were able to get grants and loans for education and later on jobs. Speak to someone in the financial aid office of the school you wish to attend. They will help you get the necessary forms. Unfortunately not everybody convicted of a felony is eligible. Certain drug convictions require that you complete an accepted drug rehabilitation program in order to be eligible for federal financial aid. Just something to consider.

Doors are opening for ex-offenders and felons not only for jobs but access to higher education.  If you are not only looking for employment, but looking for a college education. Take a look at this article:

 Jobs for Felons: Government Help For Felons Looking for Jobs

Jobs for Felons: Government Help For Felons Looking for Jobs
I hope this helps.

Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Sending Resumes and Cover Letters

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights

Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: The Truth About Background Checks

Jobs for ex-offenders and Felons: Expungement of Criminal Records

 

Can felons go to college and get jobs?

Companies Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Felons | Jobs For Felons | Jobs For Ex-offenders | Jobs That Hire Felons | Places That Hire Felons | Felon Friendly Jobs | Felon Friendly Employers | Jobs for Felons | Jobs For People That Have Felonies | Jobs For People With A Criminal Record | College for felons | Second Chance Jobs

Jobs for Felons: Can I teach with an old Felony?

Jobs for Felons:  Can I teach with an old Felony?

I am a Black Man in America in 2018. I am having difficulty getting any employment because of a 1977 felony conviction. Since I got out in 1979, I got my college degree and two teaching licenses in two states-Indiana and Illinois. My “inability” to get employment seems as if this is nothing but a higher form of Jim Crow.

I realize that I am not by myself but this appears so unfair to people that are trying to live a totally new life.  So many people talk about “rehabilitation” but it seems as if it is just talk. I have also been a member of NA and AA for 32 years. I had a drug problem and I knew that if I resumed my habit, I would have returned to the penitentiary. I took care of that first because it was so important to do that.

I taught school for the public schools system for 13 years. I disclosed my felony conviction to the school system and it didn’t pose a problem to the system. Why is it posing a problem now?

I served my time and I have totally changed my life. Will I have to pay for this the rest of my life.  I was 26 years old when this happened and I am now 64 years old.

The law needs to be changed. Once a person serves his/her time that should be the end of it.
I don’t understand how I taught for the school system for 13 years and my background was disclosed.
There also has been no recidivism in my case. I can understand people going back to the penitentiary but I have only gone once. What I have done with my life should matter but it does not.  I always thought that the goal of incarceration was rehabilitation. Is it really?? Incarceration has become a viable business.

People can change their lives. By not allowing someone to change their life is such a grave mistake.
Why shouldn’t I be bitter? I will never give up in what seems as if an uphill battle. Racism is still here. I could care less about having a Black president.

 Jobs for Felons:  Can I teach with an old Felony?

Hello,

That's quite a story.  I'm not sure why you were let go after so many years even though you disclosed the conviction at the time of your hire.  As for having a Black President, the food he eats doesn't fill my belly.

It's easy to be discouraged and start doubting yourself and society as a whole.  Instead, lets concentrate on some things that perhaps we haven't though about before as alternatives.  Don't give up hope of being a teacher.  In fact, you have already done the hard part.  You have a degree and you are already certified.  You have another very important quality.  You have experience and the wisdom and maturity of an older person.  All you will need now is to find teaching opportunities where your conviction will matter a lot less than it does to the public school system.  There are many alternatives to teaching in the public school system.  In fact I encourage many of my students who are ex-offenders and felons and also have college degrees to pursue teaching as a career.  Let's look at a few options.

Private Schools  - These schools are supported by a private organization or private individuals rather than by the government and therefore may have quite different eligibility requirements.

Career Schools - A career or vocational school is different from a four year college.  Instead of taking four years to get a degree, a vocational school allows students to get specialized training in specific career fields in two years or less.  These schools also require courses in general subjects like math, English and science just like traditional colleges.

Community Colleges - Community colleges, sometimes called junior colleges, are two-year schools that provide affordable education as a pathway to a four-year degree or a particular career.
Community colleges prepare students for jobs that require higher education or workforce training.  Typically community colleges work with employers to develop flexible, affordable and relevant training programs and partner with businesses which meet local commercial and regional economic needs. These colleges also have traditional degree programs.

Charter Schools - Charter schools are independent schools that have received a charter, which is a set of self-written rules and goals which determine how the school will be structured and run. Generally, they are able to organize a school that operates outside the control of the local school district but still funded by local, state, and federal tax money.  Essentially charter schools are free public schools that don't have to follow the same regulations as the local school district.

These are just a few options I can think of just off the top of my head. There maybe a lot more but this is a start.  If you are fortunate enough to get interviews, be prepared to talk about your conviction.  As I tell all of my students in your position, when asked about the conviction, briefly speak about it and how it has changed your thinking and your approach to life.  Focus the conversation on the time that has passed and what you have done since then to improve yourself and how you have used your own experiences to encourage young people not to make the same mistakes that you have.

Just don't let your recent stumble keep you from moving forward.

Best of luck to you.

 

Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2018)

Jobs for Felons:  Can I teach with an old Felony?

companies hire felons | companies that hire felons | Companies that hire ex-offenders | Employers that hire ex-offenders | employers that hire felons | Jobs for felons | jobs for ex-offenders | jobs that hire felons | places that hire felons | felon friendly jobs | felon friendly employers | how to get a job with criminal record | second chance jobs for felons | temp agencies that hire felons | high paying jobs for felons

Eric Mayo

 Felon wants a Career in Graphic Arts

Hi Mr. Mayo,

My fiance is up for parole in March 2014.  His family and I are trying to find job leads and scholarship programs that will help him once he is released. He has good behavior in prison and has held a job in the prison kitchen. All this will look good to the parole board.  He is an excellent artist and wants to be a graphic artist and also learn computer animation.

He was convicted of robbery and possession of a weapon while committing a felony.  He was 18 at the time and has done six years if a 12 year sentence.  He has an excellent chance of parole if can prove he has some type of direction and goals.  What I want to know is, where can he get an education in graphics that he wants and can he get any type of scholarships or grants to do what he wants to do?  How can he do this?  What does he have to do?  I know that if he can get paroled, he will prove that he is not that same person that committed that crime when he was a kid.

Please help,

Katy

Felon wants a Career in Graphic Arts

Hello Katy,

Your fiance seems to have a good support system that he will need when he is paroled.  As far a him pursuing a career in graphics, I suggest first contacting your local community college.  Community colleges are not just for degrees anymore.  Many community colleges these days offer career training for growing
occupations.

Speak to the financial aid office at whatever college you look into.  They will be able to tell you which financial aid programs if any, your fiance may qualify for and how to apply.  It is in their best interest to give you good information.  If your local college does not offer the courses he is looking for, they will tell you who does.

Best of luck to you both.




Eric Mayo

Jobs for Felons: How to find a job in Graphic Arts

Jobs for Felons: How to find Graphic Design Jobs

Jobs for Felons: How to become a Graphic Designer

Felon wants a Career in Graphic Arts