what do you all think about this.....

[mrFDNY]

hi all,
well today was day 2 at the fun,fun,fun FDNY academy.i forgot all the fun i had there in 1999,and just had to go back.ok here's what we learned today.
the FDNY has started a new pilot program and here is what it is. if your under 19 and have a arrest record and no dipolma,you can apply to the fdny ged program and this is what they do.they take you into the FDNy academy and teach you so you can first get your GED,then train you in the job of the Fire dept of nyc.after you grad this program you can apply to colleges and when you have enough college credits aplly to be hired by the FDNY and since you have a little more back ground training then the rest that are applying,you have a better shot of being hired.so at first i was very against this today when we were told that the first class was here downstairs being trained.i mean they have arrest records.some of them even have felony's,here's what some of them have been charged with assault with a weapon(a gun to be exact)grand theft auto,robbery,and 1 for hitting his mother(assault)now today we had the chance to meet with all 16 of them.these kids had no chance from the start,all of there stories were just plain sad.3 of them live with there parents in homeless shelters,several of them have a least 1 parent on drugs or in jail and in some cases both apply.

like i said when i first heard and was told about this program,i was amazed that the FDNY was hiring criminals,then after these kids met with us today to ask us about the job and in return we heard thier horror story's.where they came from and what at only 15 or 16 they have been thru in life.i hope they all make it now.one of these kid's gets up at 2 am to take 4 buses and 3 trains to to be at the FDNY academy by 7 am.they at least deserve a chance i believe.as you can imagine some of the guys i work are very against this and feel the FDNY are hiring or giving chances to felons.what do you think,or what is your opinion?

 

[simba928]

I think it is a great oppurtunity for people to have a second chance. If they truly want to turn their lives around, thats great! On the other hand, if they have no interest in it and don't sincerely want to do this, GET OUT! It sounds like these people really want a second chance, though. Good for them!

 

[barkley]

so a disadvantaged "kid" who has managed to stay out of the justice system can't take advantage of a program that will help them towards a great career path? seems to kind of reward bad behaviour ("sorry until you have an arrest record we can't consider you for inclusion in the program-come see us after you meet this qualification").

do the participants get any income/stipend for the program (prior to actual hiring)? i would imagine it's a full time kind of thing and wonder how they could support themselves financialy while participating.

does'nt the fd have any policy about certain convictions precluding a candiate from being hired (official policy or "silent agreement"-i say this because while it could not legaly preclude a candidate from being hired, the welfare agency i worked for "discouraged" those of us on hiring panels from hiring candidates with welfare fraud convictions) ? i mean something that occured when someone is under 18 would have been sealed in their juvinile record, but if some are 19 they could have adult convictions. is there any purpose served to invest the time and energy (on fd's part and participants) if that's going to be a hiring issue?

sounds like a great "concept", but i would like to see it expanded to include those w/o arrest records.