At Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly’s “Green Roof Inn,” a partnership born two years ago with Flagler Technical College (FTC) has officially launched its latest offering to help inmates gain new career skills so they are better prepared to successfully re-enter everyday life in Flagler County. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly started the “Homeward Bound” program a few years ago now includes a new six-month Pre-Apprenticeship Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program for inmates.
The first classes are taking place in the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with five student-inmates learning new skill sets and gaining experience in the HVAC field. A majority of the courses in the 150-hour program will take place in a classroom setting in the jail. Under the watchful eyes of a Detention Deputy, the inmates will also travel to the HVAC Technology Bin (lab) at FTC during the semester to put their classroom instruction to the test.
“The students get homework assignments, they have to review their chapter work and then be prepared for the next class,” Chief of Court & Detention Services Division Dan Engert said. “The classes meet twice a week from 8 a.m. to noon. It’s set up just like any other FTC trade course.”
The goal of Homeward Bound, which now offers HVAC, as well as a Vinyl Graphics Application Program, Restaurant Certification and Landscaping is to help inmates learn new career skills skills to set them up for success once they are released back into the community. The Vinyl Graphics Application Certificate Program has already graduated four students since its inception last year.
“Programs which help meet the local workforce demands of our business community are always being explored. Our inmates, if properly trained, can eventually help satisfy them,” Staly said. “Serving time should be about more than just 
being locked up. These are inmates who will re-enter our community at some point in their life. If we can get them back on track to become productive members of our community it helps strengthen not only them, but their families, our businesses and our community.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the HVAC field is expected to see a 13% job growth nationwide through 2028. The median salary for specialists in the field is currently just over $50,000 annually.
The Homeward Bound initiative is made possible in part through the assistance of the instructors and curriculum of Flagler Technical College in offering job training. Upon successful completion of the program, the inmates will earn a certificate from the Florida Department of Education that can help lead to admission into FTC’s HVAC Apprenticeship Program after their release.
FTC HVAC Instructor Frank Tasmarski is new to the college and the Homeward Bound program. However, with a life-long career filled with experience in both the contractor and government side of the industry, he has a lot to offer these new students. Tasmarski spent most of his career working as a contractor and a building inspector in Connecticut.
“They really seem to want to work hard and put in the effort. That’s so much of what this kind of career is about,” Tasmarski said. “Everybody deserves a second chance. This is not only an honest job that helps pay the bills. It is a career that can change their lives and the lives of their families.”
When asked about the new class and new instructor, one Homeward Bound student quickly replied, “He’s a good teacher. He really seems to know what he’s talking about. Once you find a trade like this, you’ll have a career anywhere you go.”
—————
About FTC: Flagler Technical College is your local resource for career and community education. FTC is the adult division of the Flagler County School District and accredited through the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and focuses on career and technical education programs for high-demand trades to meet the business and industry needs in Flagler and surrounding counties. Students learn practical specialized skills from industry professionals in a personalized and hands-on learning environment. For more information visit our website at https://flaglertech.edu
Melissa Morreale, Public Affairs Officer
Organizational Services Division
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
