LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The first class of Arkansas’ Future Fit Program has officially graduated, marking a significant step in the state’s effort to reduce repeat incarceration while strengthening the workforce.
Eighteen incarcerated men completed the 96-hour training program through the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, earning industry-recognized certifications just weeks before their release from custody. Program leaders said the first group achieved a 100% graduation rate.
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Launched in August as part of a broader strategy to expand opportunity and reduce recidivism, the Future Fit Program equips participants with technical skills and workplace readiness training aimed at careers in advanced manufacturing.
Graduates earned three credentials: an OSHA 10 safety certification, the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate and the Future Fit Production Operator/Assembler Certificate. Together, those certifications validate both the technical ability and essential soft skills sought by employers in Arkansas’ growing manufacturing sector, said Tim Jones, Director of Public Relations and Communications for UA-Pulaski Tech…