The Center for Emerging Adults, Returning Citizens and Correctional Education
The Center for Emerging Adults, Returning Citizens, and Correctional Education (CERC) expands access to college, workforce training, and apprenticeship pathways for individuals impacted by the justice and child-serving systems, including those who are incarcerated, returning to the community, or aging out of care. CERC supports educational continuity and career mobility through correctional education, reentry-aligned programs, and employer partnerships.
Core Pillars
- Strengthen Reentry Support
- Provide comprehensive reentry services that address immediate and long-term needs including education and career planning to ensure a stable and successful transition for emerging adults, returning citizens, and justice-impacted individuals.
- Expand Equitable Educational Pathways
- Develop and deliver accessible educational pathways from certificates, degrees, and apprenticeships that lead to life-sustaining, high-demand careers aligned with regional workforce needs. Ensuring equitable opportunities for learning, credential attainment, and economic mobility.
- Build Career Pathways that Lead to Economic Mobility
- Partner with employers, workforce boards, and community organizations to create seamless CORI friendly pathways from education to employment prioritizing high-growth fields such as clean energy, skilled trades, technology, and behavioral health care.