FIRST CAREER FAIR AT OCCC FOR WORK FURLOUGH INMATES

HONOLULU - The O'ahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) Laumaka Work Furlough Center hosted its first ever career fair for over 20 work furlough inmates Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, to help them prepare for reintegration into the community.

The facility collaborated with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (DCR) Hawaiʻi Correctional Industries and Reentry Coordination Office on the event.

The Hawaiʻi Laborers' Apprenticeship and Training Center, Mid-Pacific Country Club, Alliance Personnel Hawaiʻi, GPRM Prestress LLC, RMA Sales Co. Inc. and Striker Construction LLC were among the employers at the career fair. The Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority also participated to provide information and support to inmates.

Work furlough inmates from both the Laumaka Work Furlough Center and Module 20 Work Furlough Program participated in the fair.

Participants said they were grateful for the employers' genuine willingness to help.

The Laumaka Work Furlough Center is a minimum-security work furlough center for community custody inmates.

Work furlough inmates assigned to Laumaka participate in a substance abuse program. Furlough inmates in Module 20 are from the general population.

Furlough inmates at both Laumaka and Module 20 are community custody inmates with pass privileges. Community custody is the lowest security custody classification.

DCR Director Tommy Johnson thanked OCCC, Reentry Coordination Office, Hawaiʻi Correctional Industries and the Laumaka Work Furlough Center for their hard work organizing the career fair. "The career fair is a testament to DCR's commitment to providing resources and services to assist those in our custody and care to successfully reintegrate into the community upon their release," Johnson said.

OCCC Warden John Schell said, "We aim to host more career fairs for our work furlough inmates and welcome additional employers to participate."

Wendel Yoda, community-based administrator for furlough inmates at OCCC, said the event was a success. "The interaction between the inmates and employers was very motivating," Yoda said. "We look forward to having more career fairs in the future."

Career fair photos, courtesy of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, are available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1V94UTGOFuH7BgZUwlm_m2sILyCfo-uvt?usp=sharing.

Media contact:
Rosemarie Bernardo
Public Information Officer
Hawaiʻi Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Office: 808-587-1358
Cell: 808-683-5507
Email:[email protected]
Website: https://dcr.hawaii.gov