Retraining courses in welding at Plzeň–Bory Prison: skills that can lead all the way to a job offer

11 February 2026, Prague / Plzeň-Bory

VOLONTÉ has long been supporting the employability of people serving prison sentences. One of the key activities is a retraining course in MAG welding, which we implement at Plzeň–Bory Prison as part of the project VOL Komplexní program zaměstnanosti (Comprehensive Employment Programme). Participants in the course gain not only technical knowledge, but also real work experience that they can build on after release.

From vocational training centre to a successful final exam

Participants in the course go through both theoretical and practical training at a vocational training centre in Plzeň. According to information from practice, they have successfully completed the course and passed the final exam in MAG welding. This has given them a qualification that can be directly used both in production activities inside the prison and later on the labour market after their release.

Assignment to work directly inside the prison

After passing their final exams, the graduates were assigned to work activities within Plzeň Prison. In the workplace, they use every day what they learned in the course – both technical skills and habits linked to attendance, fulfilling work tasks and taking responsibility for the quality of their work.

Experience from production shows that these graduates rank among the best workers at their workplace and have no difficulty meeting the established performance standards. The production supervisor appreciates the quality of their training and expects that other prisoners who complete the welding course in the future will follow a similar path.

Cooperation with a major employer in the automotive sector

The workplace where the course graduates are employed is connected to a major manufacturer in the automotive sector. This gives the graduates an opportunity to apply their skills in an environment that reflects the real demands of industrial production.

Thanks to the positive experience with their performance, they have also been offered the possibility of employment as permanent staff after the end of their prison sentence. For prisoners, this represents not only recognition of their efforts, but also a concrete prospect of stable employment after release.

Supporting employability and a second chance

The welding retraining courses at Plzeň–Bory Prison are an example of how to connect vocational education, the employment of prisoners and cooperation with major employers. Graduates of the course gain a qualification with clear opportunities for use, learn to meet work standards and have the possibility to build on this experience after release in the form of stable employment.

This approach strengthens their chances on the labour market, reduces the risk of reoffending and helps ensure that returning from prison becomes a real second chance – not just on paper, but in a concrete work and life story.

Project funding information

The project “VOL Komplexní program zaměstnanosti” (VOL Comprehensive Employment Programme), reg. no. CZ.03.01.01/00/24_078/0005026, is supported by the Employment+ Operational Programme, which is co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus.