Through its Higher Education in Prison program, A-B Tech provides high school equivalency classes, academic, and vocational training to incarcerated individuals, including programs in social and human services, technology, and electrical systems. Beyond academics, the program is designed to reduce recidivism by equipping individuals with life skills and credentials for successful reentry into the workforce. Research indicates that participation in prison education programs can reduce the likelihood of reincarceration by 48 percent.
In 2022, A-B Tech also became the first post-secondary institution in North Carolina to take part in the Second Chance Pell program, which enables eligible students in prisons to access federal financial aid to cover tuition.
The program is offered at the Craggy Correctional Center in Buncombe County and the Western Correctional Center for Women in Swannanoa. In recent years, many students have completed their degrees with honors and participated in A-B Tech's graduation, with women from the Western Correctional Center receiving special recognition from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein in 2025.
For more information on the A-B Tech Higher Education in Prison or Second Chance Pell programs, contact Pathways to Freedom Coordinator Jay Lively at jaylively@abtech.edu.
