Utah educators and corrections leaders launch concurrent-enrollment pathway to recruit 19‑year‑old correctional officers

Representative Matthew Gwynn said on the Utah House "House Rules" podcast that he and partners are developing a concurrent‑enrollment pathway so high school graduates can leave with the academic credits needed for the Special Functions Officer (SFO) certification and be employable by county sheriffs or the state Department of Corrections as soon as they graduate.

"What I wanna talk about is this employment pipeline...so that we can shore up the occupation of corrections in Utah," Gwynn said, describing the program as a way to capture interest early and give young adults a living wage and benefits.

Brad Mortenson, president of Weber State University, said Weber State convened criminal‑justice faculty, its police academy and concurrent‑enrollment staff and determined "we can offer and package those academic courses that lead to that special function certification while students are in high school, really, without too much problem at all." He said the university will make the three academic courses available as concurrent‑enrollment classes and cited low tuition costs for students.

Mortenson and Gwynn discussed cost details in the episode. Mortenson said concurrent‑enrollment is "$5 a credit hour," and Gwynn and Mortenson agreed the three‑course package is small (Mortenson later clarified the three‑course package totals approximately $45). Mortenson characterized the return on investment as high, given the entry‑level compensation and benefits for correctional officers.

Jared Garcia, director of the Utah Department of Corrections, described the staffing problem the pathway aims to address. "We arrived at 400 vacancies, over 400 vacancies," Garcia said, and added that the department is paying correctional officers about "$31 an hour." He said hiring younger people creates a chance to train and mentor recruits before they make mistakes that could derail careers.

Gwynn acknowledged concerns raised in committee that 19‑year‑old recruits might lack maturity for the corrections environment. Mortenson and Garcia pushed back that not every teenager will be suited to the work but that education and screening can identify candidates who are, comparing the pathway to nursing and EMS programs that certify young adults for high‑responsibility roles.

Mortenson also placed the effort within a broader education goal: a statewide "first credential initiative" led by the State Board of Education that aims for every high‑school graduate to leave with a postsecondary credential. Garcia said the department is piloting internships with Jordan School District and Granite School District that pair aptitude testing with early experience for students interested in corrections careers.

Both guests and Gwynn emphasized that the pathway development proceeded without drafting legislation or requesting new state funding. Gwynn thanked Travis Reese (described in the episode as director of post) and other partners for helping move curriculum and implementation work forward.

The podcast closed with Mortenson inviting districts and employers to bring workforce needs to higher‑education institutions and with Gwynn saying he hopes the Utah model can provide a replicable pathway for other states.

Next steps: participants described ongoing curriculum packaging, local pilot internships and outreach to school districts; no legislative action or funding request was reported during the episode.