Silver State Industries reports hundreds of offender work placements, seeks employer pathways on reentry
June 14, 2025 | Board of State Prison Commissioners, Department of Corrections, Executive Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Nevada
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Bill Quenga, deputy director of industrial programs for the Nevada Department of Corrections, briefed the Board of State Prison Commissioners on June 13 about Silver State Industries (SSI) and its partnerships with colleges and private employers.
Quenga told the board SSI is a self-supporting operation that aims to reduce government costs and provide marketable job skills. "Approximately 360 offenders work in prison industries programs at this time," he said, and listed operations including print, furniture, metal, mattress, ranch, garment and automotive shops at multiple facilities.
Quenga described long-term partnerships that create job pathways. He said SSI has worked with Western Nevada College on a welding program since 2002 and highlighted a 2024 graduation at Northern Nevada Correctional Center in which 11 graduates earned 13 degrees and certificates. He also described partnerships with Erickson Framing and other employers who have hired program participants upon release.
Quenga outlined upcoming and potential expansions, including negotiations to bring a sustainable reuses program (repurposing printer ink cartridges) to Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center and discussions with a commercial developer in Genoa to create manufacturing jobs that could employ returning women once training is complete.
He invited board members to tour prison industries operations and said the program's focus is to train offenders in skills that transfer to community employment.
Quenga said SSI looks for partner employers who both provide relevant skills and offer a pathway to post‑release jobs. Board members praised the work and asked the department to increase participation; Quenga acknowledged offender employment in SSI represents a fraction of the total NDOC population and said the agency is reorganizing to recruit more workers into the shops.
"One offender who learned well in the prison industries program got out last year after serving 20 years. He is now the general manager for a steel company locally," Quenga said as an example of successful reentry outcomes.
Quenga closed by inviting board members to schedule tours to see prison industries firsthand.
Quenga told the board SSI is a self-supporting operation that aims to reduce government costs and provide marketable job skills. "Approximately 360 offenders work in prison industries programs at this time," he said, and listed operations including print, furniture, metal, mattress, ranch, garment and automotive shops at multiple facilities.
Quenga described long-term partnerships that create job pathways. He said SSI has worked with Western Nevada College on a welding program since 2002 and highlighted a 2024 graduation at Northern Nevada Correctional Center in which 11 graduates earned 13 degrees and certificates. He also described partnerships with Erickson Framing and other employers who have hired program participants upon release.
Quenga outlined upcoming and potential expansions, including negotiations to bring a sustainable reuses program (repurposing printer ink cartridges) to Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center and discussions with a commercial developer in Genoa to create manufacturing jobs that could employ returning women once training is complete.
He invited board members to tour prison industries operations and said the program's focus is to train offenders in skills that transfer to community employment.
Quenga said SSI looks for partner employers who both provide relevant skills and offer a pathway to post‑release jobs. Board members praised the work and asked the department to increase participation; Quenga acknowledged offender employment in SSI represents a fraction of the total NDOC population and said the agency is reorganizing to recruit more workers into the shops.
"One offender who learned well in the prison industries program got out last year after serving 20 years. He is now the general manager for a steel company locally," Quenga said as an example of successful reentry outcomes.
Quenga closed by inviting board members to schedule tours to see prison industries firsthand.
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