The Construction Technology Program teaches curriculum used in a nationally recognized apprenticeship program at Perryville and Lewis Prisons. Students learn skills in carpentry, electrical, and plumbing while incarcerated, and gain valuable field experience by assisting with facility building and maintenance in an instructional environment.

A student who successfully completes classes during incarceration may continue the program offered through Arizona Builders Alliance after release or may choose to pursue employment in the residential housing industry. The standardized training curriculum is taught in classrooms nationwide so students are up-to-date with current practice in the field, and the continued training affords them the opportunity to achieve a journeyman’s license in their chosen trade.

Women enrolled in this program build houses for Habitat for Humanity, Rio Salado’s newest partnership. An added component to the program at Lewis has male students working with computerized machinery to design, shape and cut granite for construction applications. This gives incarcerated students the chance to practice the skills learned in a “real life” environment, and provides them an opportunity to give back to the community.