BARNSTABLE, Mass. — Building a better future by learning carpentry is the focus of a new program at the Barnstable County House of Correction.
It’s called Skilled Purpose.
Anundra Anderson of Falmouth is one of the first graduates of the 12-week program. He’s proud of the certificate he received.
“I landscape, paint, plumbing and electrical. I kind of do everything because I am a handyman.”
He loved participating in the program. “When you come out and have something backing you up, to me, it’s motivation.”
Anderson now has a steady job using many of the skills he learned.
“I can say I graduated from this class on building skills. So, this is what I can do. They taught me putting in windows, doing shingles, doing roofing shingles, measuring, cutting precise.”
Vincent English started this non-profit after overcoming addiction, spending time in jail, and being homeless.
Getting a job in the trades helped him start over.
Now he wants to help others have the same success.
“We are bringing them on a path of when they come out of jail, it’s to a life of purpose, to a life where they have a job.”
He thought training inmates to work in carpentry made sense on Cape Cod because there are so many unfilled positions.
Inmates are taught by professionals who volunteer their time.
“We want them to be able to read the tape measure, know which tools are which,” explained English. “About halfway through the 12-week curriculum, we get them hooked up with employee partners, and then upon release we hook them up with a job.”
The inmates appreciate that someone is investing in their futures.
Ryan Hanscome said, “I think it will help me maintain the right path. It will help me stay on course, to remain focused on the goals, and what lies ahead, and stay doing the right thing.”
Tremaine Dillion added, “This program is perfect, I think it’s a very good way to have inmates learn to do something, so they don’t just go out and not have anything to do when they get out.”
Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley said data shows that having a job is more important than housing when it comes to reintegration success.
“If you have a job, you have income.”
She is happy Skilled Purpose found a home in her jail because leaving incarceration is a daunting task for the inmates.
“We have to deal with transportation, housing, medical, mental healthcare. They have to rebuild their lives, and they have to do it with a 100,000-pound backpack on their back because they’re carrying with them the stigma that comes from being incarcerated.”
“I’m feeling excellent. I am home with my family. I’m providing for them, which I think is real big,” said Anderson, who is grateful he gets up every day and goes to work.
It’s proof of the transformational power of a job
“So that program, it gave me more hope.”
When the inmates graduate from Skilled Purpose, they get to keep their tool belt and everything on it. That’s so they’re ready to start on a job right away.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
