The Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections (‘Bureau’ or ‘BOC’) has announced that the U.S. Department of Labor and the Virgin Islands Office of Apprenticeship have found that the Bureau’s Standards of Apprenticeship comply with Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (parts 29 and 30) and has been granted Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) status.
RAP is a proven earn-and-learn apprenticeship model validated by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Registered Apprenticeship Programs provide participants with valuable, portable skills which significantly increase participants’ post-release economic outcomes.
The apprenticeship program also enables and energizes more employers to participate and gives them access to larger talent pools trained for entry-level to management positions, thereby strengthening the broader workforce, reducing recidivism, improving economic mobility and reducing unemployment rates across the country.
“A journey that started in January 2020 is now a reality and truly underscores the efforts of the Bureau and other partnering agencies and organizations to make a difference in the lives of those individuals we serve and provide rehabilitative care,” said Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections Wynnie Testamark.
“Special thanks to the Bryan/Roach Administration, Mr. Peter Abrahams (BOC), Dr. Suzanne Magras (UVI CELL), Shenika Sebastien (Virgin Islands Department of Labor) and Michael Lawrence (ICF) for their tireless work and commitment to ensuring that this apprenticeship program is now available to our incarcerated population,” said Testamark.
