Penmate Inmate Support Guides

Education & Job Training at Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center: What Families Should Know

Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center offers academic classes and career-focused job training. If you want to help a loved one make the most of their time there, these are the programs worth asking about—plus practical ways to support them from the outside.

• 2 min read • idoc.illinois.gov
Education & Job Training at Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center: What Families Should Know

Kewanee offers three academic tracks: Adult Basic Education (ABE), Advanced Adult Basic Education (ADV ABE), and Adult Secondary Education (ASE/GED). ABE is the starting point for building foundational skills in reading, writing, and math. ADV ABE picks up from there with more challenging coursework. If your loved one wants to earn a high school equivalency credential, ASE/GED is the track designed for that goal.

For career training, Kewanee offers Custodial Maintenance, Manufacturing, and Welding. These programs focus on hands-on skills that translate to real jobs after release. When weighing options, think about what kind of work makes sense long-term: cleaning and facility upkeep (custodial maintenance), production and shop work (manufacturing), or fabrication and metalwork (welding).

Note: Kewanee also offers pre-vocational and re-entry Life Skills programming. This pairs well with both academic classes and job training.

Education & Job Training at Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center: What Families Should Know

Family Support

  • ✓ Encourage your loved one to ask staff about enrolling in Adult Basic Education (ABE), Advanced Adult Basic Education (ADV ABE), or Adult Secondary Education (ASE/GED), depending on where they are academically.
  • ✓ Talk with them about which career and technical education program fits their goals: Custodial Maintenance, Manufacturing, or Welding.
  • ✓ Ask them to find out whether pre-vocational and re-entry related Life Skills programming is available to them and how it works alongside school or job training.
  • ✓ Help them stay consistent by building a simple routine - regular call times for check-ins, and reminders to keep showing up even when motivation dips.
  • ✓ Use your conversations to practice real-world skills tied to re-entry and work: planning next steps, setting short goals, and problem-solving.
  • ✓ If you want details (start dates, eligibility, waitlists, or how to sign up), confirm the current program schedule and enrollment process with facility staff.

Program availability and sign-up steps change, so contact the facility's education or re-entry staff for current details. Once you know what's available, encourage your loved one to pick a path - Life Skills, academics, job training, or a combination - and stick with it.

For current information on education and job training at Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center, call (309) 852-4601 and ask for the education or re-entry coordinator. If you need to send paperwork by fax, use (309) 852-3589.

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