A program to help inmates find employment after prison is getting help from a grant.

Gov. Kay Ivey today announced a $99,546 grant to create a database of employers open to hiring inmates who have been released from prison. The database will be facilitated through J.F. Ingram State Technical College and will show inmates who have successfully completed vocational training there.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state from the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a statement, Ivey said the program aims at a critical way to reduce inmate populations - by giving those paroled the opportunity to seek productive lives.

“Through this program, J.F. Ingram Technical State Technical College is giving former inmates a chance at success while helping employers meet their workforce needs," Ivey said.

J.F. Ingram State Technical College provides training for inmates in welding, automotive mechanics, plumbing, carpentry and more.