For many, graduation season is not for another nine or 10 months. For the students of the Sheriff’s Office’s Rourk Vocational Training Center, graduation was Friday morning.

Seven students received their certificates to operate a forklift or powered pallet truck after an intensive three-week course. They are the first graduates of the center, which opened in January to help inmates gain vocational skills for potential careers.

The center, named after Solano County Correctional Lt. Margaret “Peggy” Rourk, who died in 2011 after 31 years of service, was funded primarily by the Senate Bill 1022 Adult Local Criminal Justice Facilities Construction Financing Program grant and county funds. Located adjacent to Stanton Correctional Facility in Fairfield, the center contains approximately 9,940 square feet for classroom learning.

The instructor, Officer Richard Flores, told The Reporter that inmates have to have “a certain standard of behavior” to qualify for the program.

“They can’t have any writeups, can’t have any incidents in the past or at least not for a period of time,” he said.

Flores said the Sheriff’s Office has a functioning warehouse where it stores items for all of its buildings, and inmate workers help facilitate that. Since Cal/OSHA requires certified individuals to operate forklifts, the Sheriff’s Office decided to establish a program to help inmates become certified.

“I was sent to school to become an instructor so that I could certify the inmate workers to become forklift operators among other types of equipment,” he said.

A ceremony was held Friday for the seven graduating students: Jeran Adams, Kai Adona, Michael Davis, Luis Miranda, Codey Peeples, Godofredo Ravello and Jonathan Salazar. Programs manager Renee Smith thanked the graduates for their hard work and then introduced Lt. Dan Castillo, the facility commander.

“To many people who drive down this parkway, this may just look like another metal building,” he said, “but (to) the folks that worked hard to put this building together, the folks that work here, it represents more than just a building. It represents an opportunity for the future.”

Castillo also said the center was “a direct reflection of the sheriff’s office’s values, mission and goals” and thanked the graduates for choosing to get involved with the program.

“There are several others in the same situation who choose to stay in housing units,” he said. “Many of you, aside from attending this class, attend work sites in warehouse or outside crews. So in addition to that, you made time, you made a choice to come here and provide for a better opportunity for the future.”

Flores said that forklifts are an essential part of the warehouse operation. The three-week course consist of 36 hours of training, three quizzes, a pre-test, a final theory test and a practical driving evaluation. Along the way, the students had to complete such activities as weaving between cones that had oranges on them without knocking off the oranges.

“(It’s) not easy to do in a big, 10,000 pound piece of equipment,” he said.

Another activity consisted of bouncing a basketball of their forks into a basket.

“I think a lot of them enjoyed doing that,” Flores said. “It’s quite the challenge.”

Some of the graduates also spoke. Peeples thanked staff for making the program “a challenging but fun experience.”

“Officer Flores is an amazing instructor,” he said. “(He) provides us with just the right balance of encouragement and constructive criticism.”

Adams said the course gave him a new outlook.

“A wise man once told me that in life without purpose, you have next to nothing,” he said. “This class reminded me of that purpose. We all have potential to do great things, and this class helped me realize that.”

Smith said the goal was to help inmates have opportunities when they leave.

“We want our folks to be successful as they transition out into the world,” she said. “We don’t want them to come back, not because we don’t like them but because we think that they’ll have happier lives and be more successful and productive than if they don’t, so I think Officer Flores is somebody that can really relate and can translate concepts to folks to help make them successful.”

Flores told The Reporter that it was very rewarding to work with the students.

“It gives them an opportunity to actually have a job skill,” he said. “Some of these guys have never worked a job in their life and never even contemplated it. When we give them something that’s valuable as a skill set, they actually can apply it and feel empowered.”

Flores said the students were all very appreciative of him and the work, which the graduates all reiterated. Peeples told The Reporter that it was a challenging course, especially going through the book work, which contained very detailed information on how a forklift works as well as what and what not to do.

“Eventually, I got it,” he said.

Salazar said he enjoyed the camaraderie of his classmates.

“We all talk to each other,” he said.

Adona said he was appreciative of all the job opportunities the program offered.

“It opens up a lot of doorways,” he said. “I’m going to be here until 2021, so I’ve got a lot of time. With this certification, I can operate the forklifts and participate with the warehouse drops. It gives more chance to come out of the cells and get out and about more.”

Further courses at Rourk will include operating scissor lifts and safety harnesses. Smith also said Solano Community College faculty would be coming by to teach courses like welding in October and November.