Jay-Z’s REFORM Alliance is turning criminal justice reform into career opportunities in Lancaster Pennsylvania through a new workforce program designed to move young adults from supervision into skilled union jobs.
REFORM has teamed with Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board on REFORM Work Matters, an employment initiative expected to serve 70 young adults between 18 and 24 who are currently on probation or parole or recently completed supervision. The effort is backed by $518,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Labor through Pennsylvania’s RESTART initiative. The money was awarded to the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board to create employment pathways for justice-involved young adults.
Participants enter a free 10-week apprenticeship readiness program through Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster. The training includes construction math, blueprint reading, workplace safety, job readiness and preparation for an OSHA 10 certification. The program provides a $250 weekly stipend along with free Uber transportation to and from training. The ultimate objective is to connect graduates with employment opportunities in union building trades after completing the program.
The initiative represents another phase of REFORM’s work in Pennsylvania. The organization, co-founded by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Michael Rubin, Robert Kraft and other leaders, has spent years advocating for changes to probation and parole systems. That work helped push Pennsylvania Senate Bill 838, which became Act 44 after Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the legislation on Dec. 14, 2023. The measure received bipartisan support in the state legislature.