Life after lockup: Coffee Creek gives inmates a second chance with construction skills
The initiative, which provides hands-on training for high-demand construction jobs, is gaining national attention for its innovative approach to reentry and rehabilitation.
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Ashley Lautenschlager knows the difference a second chance can make.
'I was here at Coffee Creek. I did five years here,' Lautenschlager said.
Nearly a year after her release, Ashley is now a proud ironworker apprentice, currently working on the Abernethy Bridge project. She credits her success to the Union Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (U-PACT) program, a 12-week course that equips women with trade skills in areas like cement masonry, bricklaying, and ironwork.
'I went straight to work when I got out,' she said. 'Now I'm up to $39 per hour.'
Launched by the national nonprofit Jobs for the Future, Oregon is one of only six regions in the U.S. selected for the initiative.
U-PACT not only aims to address labor shortages in the trades, but also to reduce recidivism by providing meaningful employment opportunities to women upon release.
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Current inmate Tessa Smithey is one of the participants working toward that goal. With roughly eight months to a year left in prison, she's already envisioning a new life outside of Coffee Creek.
'I just have a fresh start with a career and a life,' Smithey said.
Like many others in the program, Tessa once feared reentering society. But with new skills in her toolbox—and a renewed sense of purpose—she now sees a path forward.
'We don't ever have to go back to that life … to the things we were doing before,' she added.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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