ELEVEN INMATES AT WCF GRADUATE FROM CARPENTRY PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
WAIAWA, HI — The Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) hosted a graduation ceremony Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, for 11 men who completed the Carpentry Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
The completion of the six-week pre-apprenticeship program provides participants with direct entry into the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund (HCATF) Apprenticeship Program when the men re-enter the community upon release.
The program is available to inmates at the Waiawa Correctional Facility and Women’ Community Correctional Center (WCCC), thanks to a partnership between the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR), Honolulu Community College and HCATF. A total of nine men attended the graduation ceremony today.
DCR Director Tommy Johnson extends his sincere gratitude to facility staff, HCC and HCATF for their commitment and for providing the men with in-demand skills that will prepare them for successful reintegration into the community.
Johnson also commends the graduates on their achievements. “All of the graduates took the initiative to participate in this program, a program that will open many doors for them. We are very proud of the men’s accomplishments,” Johnson said.
Participants in the carpentry pre-apprenticeship program acquire essential carpentry skills such as blueprint reading, framing and drywall installation. Students are also trained in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, first aid and CPR.
Honolulu Community College Chancellor Karen Lee said they are proud of the men’s hard work and determination as they build their skills to eventually enter Hawaiʻi’s workforce. The graduating class “represents what’s possible when education, labor and public institutions come together with shared purpose,” Lee said.
During the ceremony, HCATF Executive Director Edmund Aczon praised the inmates. “We’re extremely proud of this year’s cohort of graduates and look forward to having them join the apprenticeship program when they’re able to work and contribute to the growth and success of the construction industry. This program has been incredibly successful in giving them a sense of purpose while providing a viable career pathway,” Aczon said.
WCF Educational Supervisor Kerry Iwashita said inmates consistently request to participate in the program. “We hope to have additional ones like it in the future,” Iwashita said.
To date, a total of 54 graduates — 41 from the Waiawa Correctional Facility and 13 from the Women’s Community Correctional Center, have completed the carpentry pre-apprenticeship program since its inception in 2023.
Photos, courtesy of the Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund, are available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o6i42lFc7b7Zmvk2wibIm13H6bdjbKuv?usp=sharing.
Media Contact:
Rosemarie Bernardo
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://dcr.hawaii.gov
Julie Hirano Kaneko for the
Hawaiʻi Carpenters Apprenticeship & Training Fund
Phone: 808-469-6846
Email: [email protected]