COVINGTON, Ga. — Some Newton County jail inmates could be more employable and better fathers after graduating from some jail-based programs this week.
The 12 inmates graduated from a welding training program and a course titled No. 1 Dads July 11 in the Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s Training Room.
The sheriff’s office worked with the nonprofit Action Inc. to provide the job skills and personal development programs for the inmates.
Sheriff Ezell Brown said he was “grateful” for the sheriff’s office’s partnership with Action Inc. that provides “positive opportunities provided to the inmate residents housed in our facility.”
“The programs we offer to the inmate residents housed in the Newton County Detention Center provide the skills and training needed to return to society as law-abiding citizens,” Brown said. “I congratulate every one of our graduates for completing their program, whether it was No. 1 Dads or Welding Training.
“Also, I thank all those who provided support and encouragement to these graduates during the last few weeks. They couldn’t have done it without your support and encouragement.”
Six inmates graduated from the Welding Training program, including Brandon Danes, Anthony Williams, Joshua Scott, Anthony Bell, Gary Brantley and Jordan Donaldson.
The graduates had the opportunity to participate in the American Welding Society’s Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) sheet metal tests following the end of the program’s course.
The WPS Sheet Metal tests are administered by an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and graded on a visual inspection of the welding coupon and a “bend test,” which tests the integrity of the welded coupon.
All graduates of the Welding Training Program passed the WPS Sheet Metal tests.
The six inmate residents who graduated from the No. 1 Dads Program on July 11 were Gerald Evans, Joseph Cashin, Kurt Burns, Justin Jones, Randy Pitts and David Agan.
The No. 1 Dads Program is designed to strengthen, establish or reestablish relationships between a father and his children, or a father and his spouse or partner and their children.
The program promotes responsible fatherhood, healthy marriage and economic stability through the provision of workshops, case management and job skills training, a news release stated.
