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news
Halfords opens cycle mechanic training academy for female prisoners (+ video)
A new Halfords academy where prisoners will be trained as cycle mechanics has been launched at HMP Drake Hall. As well as learning to maintain and repair bikes, they will also work on customer service and interview skills.
Halfords has already set up a cycle mechanic training academy inside Onley Prison near Rugby, but the new facility is the first for female prisoners.
The firm says it will offer the best candidates the opportunity to become full-time members of staff upon their release.
Around 28 prisoners on the scheme at HMP Onley have gone on to secure full-time employment and Halfords says that the level of retention of academy graduates has been higher than of other sales floor workers.
Justice Minister Dr Phillip Lee, who opened the HMP Drake Hall facility, said:
“I am delighted to be opening the Halfords Training Academy at HMP Drake Hall today. This is an excellent scheme which gives women the vocational skills and education they need in preparation for release. It will give them a new start – helping to reduce reoffending and turn their backs on crime.
“We are committed to helping all offenders turn their lives around so they don’t get stuck in the cycle of crime. We want to see offenders entering the workplace and making a success of their lives.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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14 comments
Giving cons opportunities they would not get on the outside looks very questionable. It is my guess that if an ordinary member of the public wanted this sort of training they would have to pay quite a lot for it.
Better to give opportunities like this to disadvantaged people who have never chosen to committ crime.
jesus! is there any topic you don't moralise on?
If an ordinary member of the public wants to apply for a job at Halfords, and they are employed, then they will trained for free and paid at the same time.
While prisoners do need to be punished, they also need rehabilitation. Many lack the skills to function well in society (often why they ended up in jail), and if Halfords can help turn them around and become productive citizens then great.
Or you could train people who have committed crimes in the past and done their time so that they can become productive members of society and don't commit crime again.
It isn't rewarding people to educate them.
it's not really rewarding people to offer them a job at Halfords either!
You mean so after the cons have paid their dues, we put them back on the streets as unemployable as they were when they went in? Sounds like a good way to keep the prisons full.
Presumably you'd also be in favour of stopping all education offered to prisoners (NVQ's, GCSE's etc) also?
Incidentally, with regard to that "Its my guess" comment, you guessed wrong. Halfords offer free 2 day bike maintenance classes to women outside prison, up and down the country.
So, you really think that not having a job is a good excuse for committing a crime? And how does not having a job or being unemployable somehow encourage the committing of violent offences or sex crimes? There are lots of disadvanted and unemployable people out there who choose not to commit crimes.
I would rather see scarce resources given to disadvantaged and unemployable types who have never committed a crime. They are more deserving of opportunity.
You sound a clever one. A two day free bike maintenance course hardly compares to the type of bike mechanic training Halfords are offering to convicted criminals.
Nope, and you didn't read that in any of my posts, so please don't put words in my mouth.
Me too. The first year somebody spends in prison costs the tax payer £65k, plus police and court costs. I didn't say that we could stop all re-offending, but for every one we can stop, we save £65k the first year, and £40k per year thereafter. I could buy a helluva lot of good equipment for the kids in my disabled skiing group for just one re-offender saved, and if Halfords are paying the bills and offering jobs to these people good for them.
Having said that, from Halford's point of view, I am not sure this will turn out to be the PR coup they intended. Human nature being what it is, I suspect that all but the most magnanimous of citizens would prefer not to be served by an ex con.
they can take it, but it is a good initiative. Elephant Bikes do assembly as well: https://elephantbike.co.uk/ , and Timpsons take on a lot of ex-offenders. More power to them all
Quality of some existing Halfords mechanics aside, this seems like a really good initiative, and one that more employers might learn from.
They'll be training their employees next...
or putting them in prison
They NEED to train some of their employees. Who buils a bike with the fork facing the wrong way..... A Halfords mechanic.
Or with brake blocks that rub the tyre...