At CoreCivic's La Palma Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, education staff work diligently each day to equip resident students with the tools they will need to succeed upon release. For example, residents at La Palma have the opportunity to earn industry recognized certification from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). With this kind of certification, residents can see starting salaries at $28 per hour in specialized jobs roles, such as an electrician, in the State of Arizona.

"I see education, especially in the correctional setting, as an opportunity to change not just the inmates' lives, but the lives of the community," said Yolanda Fernandez-Carr, principal at La Palma. "Education gives [residents] an opportunity to see what they are fully capable of—it gives them an opportunity to look at a future."

WATCH below to learn how the education team at CoreCivic's La Palma facility is helping people prepare for career and life success.