Four-week program begins July 18; grant funding available
NOTE: The Summer 2022 Corrections Academy has been canceled. The next Corrections Academy is scheduled for February 2023.
To help address the need for qualified corrections officers regionally and statewide, North Central Michigan College will host a four-week Local Corrections Officer Academy beginning July 18. Funding provided by Michigan Works! and Michigan Learning & Education Advancement Program grants will cover a portion or all of the $1,500 tuition.
Academy graduates will learn the skills necessary to maintain safety and security in a correctional facility. The program is open to both active sheriff’s deputies and corrections workers as well as pre-service recruits with no experience, explained Jim Cousino, North Central’s dean of career and technical education.
The academy provides 160 hours of intensive training — the equivalent of a full semester’s classes — condensed into an accelerated program comprised of hands-on training, classroom demonstration and lecture.
“This is a comprehensive program covering every facet of ensuring safety inside a correctional facility, from booking and intake to ethics and diversity,” Cousino said.
North Central is approved by the Michigan Sheriffs' Coordinating and Training Council (MSCTC) to offer the academy. Following successful completion of an exam at the end of the program, graduates will be MSCTC-certified to work in sheriff’s offices and correctional facilities statewide.
“Deputies are required to complete an MSCTC-approved academy within one year of hire, which provides a unique blend of active correctional officers and individuals who might be interested in a career in law enforcement or corrections,” Cousino said. “The fact that they can complete the program with no out-of-pocket cost makes it an incredible opportunity.”