Twenty incarcerated individuals from the Washington Corrections Center for Women took an important step toward their futures last month, virtually attending the Women in Trades Event 2026 hosted by the City of Tacoma. For these graduates of the Trades Related Apprentice Coaching (TRAC) a Washington state-recognized pre-apprenticeship program, and horticulture program, a one-year certificate program offered by Olympic College, the event was a potential doorway to possibility.
The opportunity was a collaboration between DOC Reentry Division, staff at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, and the City of Tacoma. The goal is to equip students with the transferable skills that employers are looking for.
The Women in Trades Event was designed to spotlight career pathways in construction, utilities, transportation, and other skilled trades fields where women have historically been underrepresented. Employers, apprenticeship programs and labor representatives gathered to share information about living wage careers, training pipelines, and advancement opportunities. The incarcerated individuals tuned in virtually, in the hope that this event could be used as a bridge between the classroom and potential employment.
Through ongoing conversations between the City of Tacoma and Ed Tharp from DOC’s Reentry Division, they discussed employment possibilities for individuals’ post incarceration. The city indicated a willingness to consider candidates on a case-by-case basis. That response carries weight as it signals that skills, preparation and accountability can matter more than a past conviction when employers are willing to evaluate the person by who they are today.
“Our mission is to reduce recidivism, so we take pride in helping to empower individuals with the confidence to learn new skills and succeed as productive members of society,” says Ed Tharp. “It makes me proud to know I played a small part in their journey forward.”
The participants attending the event are graduates of programs built around hands-on learning and workforce readiness. Vocational and pre-apprenticeship programs focus on preparing individuals for apprenticeship pathways, helping them understand industry expectations, workplace culture, and technical foundations. These programs emphasize responsibility and teamwork. These are traits that translate directly into the trades sector.
Virtual participation ensured that custody status did not prevent access to an opportunity. Participants were able to hear directly from employers about qualifications, application steps, and what makes a candidate stand out.
The Washington State Department of Corrections has a longstanding history of working with trades organizations and community partners to support workforce pathways for incarcerated individuals. Current memorandums of understanding include partnerships with the Northwest Laborers Apprenticeship Committee, Iron Workers Local Union 86, Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, and Cement Masons and Plasterers Local 528. Additional partners such as the Washington State Department of Transportation, Sound Transit, the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, BuildUp, and ANEW also help connect pre-apprenticeship graduates with opportunities in the skilled trades.
Educational programs build capacity. Employers create pathways. When the two align, the result is momentum as gainful employment can be the difference between success and failure after incarceration. Families benefit. Employers gain dedicated workers. Communities gain contributors.
