The Workforce Development Summit, scheduled April 15 & 16 during National Second-Chance Month, celebrates reentry success.
by Marcus Wilkins
Donovan Tarter remembers all too well the basement of his dark past.
Born of drug-addicted parents in Branson, Missouri, and raised in a series of foster homes, he landed in prison at age 22 following convictions for marijuana distribution and related offenses. After completing his first sentence, the bad decisions mounted as Tarter became “addicted to drugs and police chases” — which ultimately led to eight cumulative years inside.
“I became the statistic,” Tarter said. “Surrounded by so many negative influences, I needed a sense of purpose. Welding gave that to me.”
Today, Tarter has ascended from his personal depths with the help of — appropriately — an elevator manufacturing company. Taking advantage of the welding certificate he earned through the Career and Technical Training Program at Boonville Correctional Center (BCC), Tarter assembles freight elevators at Courion Industries in St. Louis. A subsidiary of Vantage Elevation, the plant has fabricated systems for Space X; Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs; and celebrity estates — including that of the pop musician Pink.
“Donovan takes tremendous pride in his work and brings a fantastic attitude to our team here,” said Alex Emmerson, plant operations manager. “He’s a shining example that your past does not necessarily define your future.”
Tarter’s success story is emblematic of the statewide efforts being celebrated at the Workforce Development Summit April 15 & 16 at Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC). Intentionally scheduled during National Second-Chance Month and cohosted by the Missouri Department of Corrections, the Missouri Office of Administration and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, the event features presentations on the latest reentry efforts.
It also includes panel discussions about second-chance employment opportunities, along with energizing updates as Missouri approaches the culmination of Reentry 2030 — the national initiative aimed at dramatically improving reentry success for people exiting prison and those under supervision.
One of the panelists — the formerly incarcerated John Von Burg, who is now the institutional reentry coordinator at Northeast Correctional Center (NECC) — has transformed his past into his passion.
“I’ve seen how guys are better able to relate to advice when it comes from someone like me who has walked a mile in their shoes,” said Von Burg, who is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “I was on a rocky roller coaster of dysfunction and addiction, and I’m very fortunate to be here because I’m a ‘second-chancer.’ I’m motivated to see these guys succeed.”
Much of the summit will focus on MODOC’s specialized education and training programs — which include the weld
at BCC’s Career and Technical Training Program.
ing program Tarter completed. Participation in such programs is associated with a 48% reduction in returns to prison, according to a study through the Coleridge Initiative. Other career and technical training programs offered throughout MODOC institutions include automotive mechanics, computer technology, building trades (such as carpentry and plumbing), cosmetology, culinary arts, nursing assistance and tattooing.
Courtney Everett, the formerly incarcerated director of finance and development for Saint Louis University’s (SLU) Prison Education Program, believes people who have served time are often differently motivated.
“They have a higher reason for working and living,” said Everett, who recently earned an MBA from SLU. “You can teach people what to do, but you can't teach them why. They’re coming to work every day for a reason. Inspiration, loyalty, dedication … at their best, these things are intrinsic in people who’ve been released from incarceration.”
Tarter concurs. After celebrating his two-year release anniversary in December, he continues to set goals, check items off his life’s to-do list, improve his welding skills and strengthen his résumé.
In his own words, he’s “addicted to that grind.”
“I have a whole bank of patience,” Tarter said. “You can sell me on six months or a year into the future, and I’m already mentally there. It’s like a superpower being able to work deliberately and methodically.
“People who have been incarcerated know what they’ve done, and they’ve made it over hurdles. So, whatever they encounter in the work field, it shouldn’t be much to them after enduring a situation like that.”