Best jobs for ex-offenders : 101 opportunities to jump-start your new life

Many ex-offenders have difficulty finding stable jobs that lead to promising futures. Most lack information about opportunities appropriate for their red flag backgrounds. Once released, they often stumble from one low-paying and insecure "hard labor" job to another. Many have difficulty finding satisfying work and keeping a job for long. Unable to adequately support themselves as well as fulfill court-ordered financial obligations, many soon get into trouble that leads them back into prisons and jails. Not surprisingly, much of today's high recidivism rate (60-70%) directly relates to the issue of ex-offender employability and the ease of violating terms of release (fail to meet parole officer and/or pay child support). What they most need is a GOOD JOB to jump-start their new life! Here's the first book to examine jobs suitable for ex-offenders. Profiling 101 opportunities that are relatively open to people with not-so-hot backgrounds, this upbeat book gives renewed hope and direction to ex-offenders who are uncertain what they want to do, can do, and will do in the free world. It profiles 13 categories of jobs and occupations: - Construction trades and related jobs - Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations - Science, moth, engineering, and technology jobs - Production occupations - Transportation and material moving occupations - Travel and hospitality jobs - Computer and Internet jobs - Health and medical care jobs - Sales and related jobs - Sports, entertainment, and media jobs - Office and administrative support jobs - Military, government, and nonprofit jobs - Starting a business Examining most jobs in terms of employment outlook, nature of work, working conditions, education and training requirements, expected earnings, and recommended resources, the book serves as a handy directory for exploring numerous job options appropriate for ex-offenders. Includes summary charts of today's best jobs and separate chapters on transitional employment experiences, job restrictions on ex-offenders, and internal and external barriers to employment. The message throughout is very clear: Ex-offenders ARE employable. Given the right informational tools and an action plan, they CAN become successful. The perfect book for creating a new future filled with freedom, purpose, joy, and prosperity! Best Jobs For Ex-Offenders 1 Contents 4 1 Find the Best Job for You! 6 The Cost of Sunlight 6 A Failed But Hopeful System 7 Jobs and Re-Offending 8 On Your Own on the Outside 9 Consider New Options 9 Identify the “Best” Jobs for You 15 Look for Exciting New Occupations 17 Implications of Future Trends for You 17 Your Hopeful First Job Out 18 Late-Breaking Education News for Inmates 19 2 Transitional Employment Experiences 20 Taking Initiative, Encountering Reality 20 Employers Want Proof of Performance 21 Importance of Transitional Work Experiences 23 Creating Your New Record 23 Best Employer-Centered Approaches for Ex-Offenders 24 3 Job Restrictions Affecting Ex-Offenders 26 I’ve Fallen Down and 26 Barriers to Employment From Within Yourself 27 External Barriers to Employment 29 What You Need to Do 32 What Employers Know About Your Record 35 4 Construction Trades and Related Jobs 36 Promising Opportunities, Unstable Future 36 Turnover Occupations 37 Recession-Proof Trades 37 Useful Online Resources 38 Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons 38 Carpenters 39 Carpet, Floor, and Tile Installers and Finishers 40 Construction and Building Inspectors 42 Construction Equipment Operators 43 Construction Laborers 44 Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers 45 Electricians 47 Elevator Installers and Repairers 48 Glaziers 49 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers 50 Insulation Workers 51 Painters, Construction, and Maintenance 52 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 53 Roofers 55 Sheet Metal Workers 55 Structural Iron and Steel Workers 57 Ask Yourself 58 5 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations 59 Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians 59 Automotive Body and Glass Repairers 61 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 62 General Maintenance and Repair Workers 64 Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 65 Line Installers and Repairers 67 Small Engine Mechanics 69 6 Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology Jobs 72 Computer Support Specialists 73 Cost Estimators 74 Database Administrators 75 Drafters 76 Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians 77 Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers 78 Information Security Analysts 79 Operations Research Analysts 80 7 Production Occupations 82 Machinists and Tool and Die Makers 82 Painting and Coating Workers 84 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 85 Production Occupations in Decline 86 8 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 88 Bus Drivers 88 Cargo and Freight Agents 90 Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers 91 Hand Laborers and Material Movers 92 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 94 Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs 95 Water Transportation Occupations 97 9 Travel and Hospitality Jobs 102 The Industry and Its Many Players 102 Air Traffic Controllers 103 Chefs and Head Cooks 104 Cruise Line Jobs 106 Food and Beverage Servicing and Related Workers 108 Food Service Managers 110 Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks 111 Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners 112 10 52 More Jobs for Ex-Offenders 114 Employment Restrictions Revisited 114 Computer and Internet Jobs 114 Health and Medical Care Jobs 116 Sales and Related Jobs 124 Sports, Entertainment, and Media Jobs 127 Office and Administrative Support Jobs 130 Military, Government, and Nonprofit Jobs 133 Start Your Own Business 134 The 101 Best Jobs – Summary Index, Education, Salary 136 Re-Entry Success Resources 139 Content: 1: Find the best jobs for you! -- The cost of sunlight A failed but hopeful system Jobs and re-offending On your own on the outside Consider new options Identify the "best" jobs for you Look for exciting new occupations Implications of future trends for you Your hopeful first job out Late-breaking education news for inmates -- 2: Transitional employment experiences. -- Taking initiative, encountering reality Employers want proof of performance Importance of transitional work experiences Creating your new record Best employer-centered approaches for ex-offenders -- 3: Job restrictions affecting ex-offenders. -- I've fallen down and Barriers to employment from within yourself External barriers to employment What you need to do What employers know about your record -- 4: Construction trades and related jobs. -- Promising opportunities, unstable future Turnover occupations Recession-proof trades Useful online resources Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons Carpenters Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers Construction and building inspectors Construction equipment operators Construction laborers Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers Electricians Elevator installers and repairers Glaziers Hazardous materials removal workers Insulation workers Painters, construction, and maintenance Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters Roofers Sheet metal workers Structural iron and steel workers Ask yourself -- 5: Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. -- Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and service technicians Automotive body and glass repairers Automotive service technicians and mechanics General maintenance and repair workers Heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers Line installers and repairers Small engine mechanics -- 6: Science, math, engineering, and technology Jobs. -- Computer support specialists Cost estimators Drafters Electrical and electronics engineering technicians Electrical and electronics installers and repairers Information security analysts Operations research analysts -- 7: Production occupations. -- Machinists and tool and die makers Painting and coating workers Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers Production occupations in decline -- 8: Transportation and material moving occupations. -- Bus drivers Cargo and freight agents Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers Hand laborers and material movers Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers Taxi drivers and chauffeurs Water transportation occupations -- 9. Travel and hospitality Jobs. -- The Industry and its many players Air traffic controllers Chefs and head cooks Cruise line jobs Food and beverage servicing and related workers Food service managers Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks Meeting, convention, and event planners -- 10. 52 more jobs for ex-offenders. Employment restrictions revisited Computer and internet jobs Health and medical care jobs Sales and related jobs Sports, entertainment, and media jobs Military, government, and nonprofit jobs Start your own business -- The 101 best jobs: summary index, education, salary -- Re-entry success resources. From the Publisher: Ex-offenders have difficulty finding stable jobs that lead to promising futures. Often young, inexperienced, unskilled, and living in a world of illusions, they lack adequate knowledge about opportunities appropriate for their red flag backgrounds. Once released into the free world, many stumble from one low-paying and insecure job to another, unable to find satisfying and rewarding work as well as keep a job for long. Frequently unemployed, angry, and failing to adequately support themselves, they soon get into trouble that leads them back into prisons and jails. Indeed, within three years, nearly 70 percent of ex-offenders become repeat offenders. Not surprisingly, much of today's high recidivism rate directly relates to the issue of ex-offender employability. "Examining many jobs in terms of employment outlook, nature of work, working conditions, education and training requirements, expected earnings, and recommended resources, the book serves as a handy directory for exploring job options appropriate for ex-offenders ... includes summary charts of today's best jobs and separate chapters on transitional employment experiences, job restrictions on ex-offenders, and internal and external barriers to employment. The message throughout is very clear: ex-offenders are employable. Given useful information, an action plan, and a positive attitude couple with drive, they can become successful ... can create a new future filled with freedom, purpose, joy, and prosperity!"--Back cover