America needs skilled aerospace workers and one San Quentin program is designed to help fill the void, a NASA executive told a prisoners’ audience.
Dr. Simon Pete Worden, a retired Air Force general and NASA’s Ames Research Center director, addressed nearly 200 San Quentin prisoners to talk about NASA’s future and the need for highly skilled workers in the aerospace industry.
In an unorthodox move, Worden has already enlisted men in the prison’s vocational machine shop to produce prototype components for satellites.
The partnership began in 2007 when Worden first learned of the advanced machining abilities of the students from the spouse of a guard who worked at the prison.
He had representatives of the agency contact Rich Saenz, the machine shop’s instructor, to propose the idea of having his students fabricate parts for NASA. Saenz told them, “We have every confidence we can build it.”
At times, it looked as though the project might fall apart. Bureaucratic roadblocks and strict budgetary constraints of working within the state’s beleaguered prison system have caused several problems.
Despite those challenges, Saenz fought to see the project through. In June 2011 NASA and prison officials signed a two-year agreement to fabricate the parts. Since that time, 27 students have received valuable training from NASA.
The students have been fabricating components for a unique satellite deployment device, called a Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer (PPOD).
Although the parts fabricated by the prisoners are only prototypes, and not yet slated for use, Worden hopes to one day see them used in space.
Worden and Saenz share a philosophy of preparing incarcerated men to find meaningful jobs after they parole.
“Our primary purpose is to prepare people to work in the industry,” said Worden. “My commitment is to help people find jobs”
Worden envisions connecting inmates with private companies which would hire them after parole. He even said that some industry leaders have shown an interest in hiring ex-offenders.
Saenz said he works closely with Bay Area colleges and businesses to find placement on the outside for his students, many of whom report to him with stories of their successes.
Noting the antiquity of many of the shop’s machines and a dire need for newer technology, Saenz said, “If we had updated equipment and material, we could do a lot more.”
Saenz’s students have fabricated items for such diverse projects as the State Fair, Marine Mammal Center, the National Parks Service and San Francisco’s Exploratorium.
“This shop continues to grow and deliver top-quality projects,” said leadman Duane Butler. He commented that his fellow students are men who are committed to becoming productive citizens.
