The 365 Foundation's New Women Prison Reentry Initiative VR Auto Technician Training Program

Lansdale, Pennsylvania Jun 20, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - The 365 Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Lansdale, is taking on the critical issue of Prison Reentry Programs with a new initiative. In the U.S., more than 600,000 people make the transition from prisons to the community each year. While many are ready to start working, they often face systemic barriers to entering the workforce. The unemployment rate for people impacted by incarceration is five times the national average. Because of systemic racism in the justice system, this disproportionately impacts the Black community, which also experiences higher unemployment rates than any other racial group. Additionally, 82% of middle-skill jobs in the U.S. require digital proficiency, but many incarcerated individuals lack digital literacy after being removed from technology in prison. The research is clear: Ensuring people have jobs is key to helping them stay out of prison and contributes to our countrys economic health. 

The 365 Foundation will work to restore Americas criminal justice system and those it affects. We aim to help women replace the cycle of trauma that landed them in prison. We advocate for justice reform and activate grassroots networks to do the same.

Everyone should have access to economic opportunity. Thats why the 365 Foundation is offering an Automotive Technical Training Program.  This program will train those women impacted by incarceration on automotive skills they can use to get a job in the automotive industry.

This innovative program is designed for women coming home from prisons, jails, and reentry facilities.

This initiative, a component of our reentry program created by the 365 Foundation, hopes to change lives by offering a rare opportunity for females released from incarceration to obtain gainful skills.

This program can ease the transition of newly released incarcerated women by teaching highly valuable automotive repair and maintenance skills and introducing them to unavailable career opportunities before their incarceration.

We have also partnered with the Montgomery County Reentry Initiative and the Sunlight of the Spirit Womens Home. 

Donations made for this program will help support this program, which is designed to reduce recidivism and help create productive members of society.

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The 365 Foundation will work with local companies to place post-program employees. We will contact the human resources departments of local car dealerships, tire stores, and oil change businesses.

The goal of each module is to provide post-incarceration education/training to better equip women for long-term, high-paying career opportunities.

The VR Auto Technician Training Program is an innovative, groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) -based learning platform designed to transform how auto technicians are trained and educated. Our program aims to provide aspiring auto technicians with a comprehensive, accessible, and engaging learning experience, fostering a deep understanding of the skills and knowledge required to excel in the automotive industry.

VFC-VR was created by Vehicles for Change, a nonprofit empowering families through car ownership and technician training. Partnering with HTX Labs, they crafted an immersive training program in a dynamic virtual garage. The curriculum, designed by expert technicians, offers in-demand automotive skills and the potential to earn at least two ASE certifications, paving the way for better career prospects.

We currently have three instructional modules available that detail the following:

• Oil Change, Maintenance, and Light Repair(MLR)
• Brakes
• Suspension and Steering

Additional Modules in Development

• Automobile Service Technology
• Heating and Air Conditioning
• Engine Repair
• Engine Performance
• Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
• Manual Drive Train and Axles
• Electrical/Electronic Systems
• Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Purpose:

The VR program aims to address the growing need for highly skilled auto technicians by leveraging the power of virtual reality technology. Through immersive simulations and training modules, students can gain practical experience and develop the expertise needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving automotive landscape.

A 2019 report from TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports technical education, highlighted that the demand for new vehicle technicians was growing faster than the number of people entering the field. The report estimated a need for about 76,000 new automotive technicians annually between 2016 and 2026, while the supply was only around 37,000 annually.  There are over 2,800 jobs for these skills in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. There already exists a stable of national employment partners, such as NAPA Auto Care Centers, the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA), and others, to ensure that trainees have job placement opportunities once they complete the program.

Intention:

We intend to provide a state-of-the-art learning environment that enables students to master automotive diagnostics, repair, and maintenance procedures safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. By utilizing virtual reality technology, we can recreate real-world scenarios and offer immediate feedback to help students learn more effectively and confidently.

Value:

By providing an interactive, experiential learning platform, students can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for success in the field. Additionally, the program can reduce the costs associated with traditional training methods, such as equipment maintenance and facility upkeep, making it a more sustainable and accessible option for learners.

Impact:

The VR Auto Technician Training Program has the potential to significantly impact the automotive industry by producing a new generation of highly skilled and knowledgeable technicians. This will lead to better quality repairs, enhanced customer satisfaction, and increased efficiency across the industry. Furthermore, by offering a more accessible and engaging training experience, the program can help bridge the skills gap, providing opportunities for a diverse range of individuals to enter the workforce and contribute to the growth of the automotive sector.

Conclusion:

Embracing the power of virtual reality technology, our VR Auto Technician Training Program is set to revolutionize auto technician training, providing a comprehensve, immersive, and cost-effective learning experience. By fostering the development of critical skills and knowledge, this cutting-edge program will empower a new generation of technicians to excel in the automotive industry, driving innovation and growth for years to come. It will also provide excellent employment opportunities for women reentering society from incarceration and greatly reduce the recidivism rate.

Given the need for auto workers, employers often show trainees how to take what theyve learned in the digital world to operate safely in a real garage. Virtual reality is number one in how we train the skill trades across the board in five years. This technology will make a huge difference for the marginalized populations in this country that cant afford to attend a community college to get an automotive degree or a trade school.  Were not only going to fill the gap for the trades, but were going to change poverty in this country by using virtual reality.

We cant change the past, but we can build toward a better tomorrow. The ability to secure a job or start a business can pave the way for a brighter future, and we are thrilled to work with contributing partners to offer the opportunity for a fresh start.