Indiana Department of Correction's Staff Development & Training Utilizes Innovative Training

New Castle, Ind. – Now more than ever, it's important to continue training the new Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) employees. With the effects of Covid-19, facilities are stretched to the limits meeting their daily needs.

In order to assist veteran staff, Staff Development and Training (SD&T) has had to be innovative with its training. Under the limitation set forth by Governor Holcomb classrooms are maxed at 10 people (including the instructor) and spacing between participants has been extended to six feet. In order to accommodate this more classrooms are needed, therefore trainings have been spread out into facilities that normally send all their people to a Regional Training site.

To be safe and to stop the potential spread of the disease, training is being done at the home facility of the participant. In order to facilitate all of these trainings and to maintain consistency in learning, SD&T has went to teaching their new employees through Microsoft Teams. Each classroom has a projector and screen, but the instructor is located at another location. The PowerPoints used in a normal classroom have been modified to improve the distance learning of the participants. When appropriate question slides and videos have been added to enhance learning.

And during most programs, the instructor is still visible to the student through the camera feature. Whenever possible, facility training staff are facilitating the classrooms and assisting students, by providing handouts, etc. and encouraging feedback. Conversations and questions with the instructor are done utilizing the Team's Chat feature. And there is always a third individual involved online to moderate the day's learning and to make sure things run smoothly.

This process is in its fourth week of implementation and each week improvements are made in order to give staff the best quality of training possible. While training is our top priority, staff safety is the most important. All staff are required to wear masks during training and to sit six feet apart or more. SD&T strives to make sure the IDOC employees are equipped and ready to handle their essential responsibilities. 

Courtney Woodard, Plainfield Correctional Facility training officer, presents a program for new employee training.

Westville Correctional Facility prepares its new employees for the job ahead.

Indiana State Prison trains their staff in Personal Protection.

Miami Correctional Facility staff are trained on communicating with offenders.

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Have questions about a career with the Indiana Department of Correction? Call or email Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Carlos Williams during regular business hours: 765-524-7743, email CarlWilliams@idoc.in.gov.

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