Ronald McMurtrie:

Those serving time in prison do have the opportunity to study for Open University degrees.  If successful in gaining a degree, should anyone on release be prevented from seeking appropriate employment?

Open University degrees have been severely curtailed by the ConDem government. Prisoners now how to take out loans in order to study for them. The number of degree courses have also been cut back because the OU now assumes that students have regular internet access but prisoners in Britain do not.

While the examples quoted are not in Engineering, it still demonstrates what is possible in terms of rehabilitation.

These are all simple basic jobs. I'm trying to work out how high the glass ceiling is when it comes to ex-cons and careers. It's notable that official education programmes in prisons of Level 3 and higher have almost completely been abolished by the ConDem government, leaving only basic (primary school level) education and Level 1 and 2 qualifications. Although the priority is prisoners with a low level of education and skills, reading between the lines is a message that there is little point in ex-prisoners having a Level 3 qualification or higher because they cannot realistically use them, which is why prisons no longer offer them, There is no point in a person who has served a prison sentence having or studying for a degree in dentistry as they cannot use it in Britain. Most careers working with children or vulnerable adults are also closed. A few ex-prisoners have studied law degrees and become solicitors, but this has provoked strong feelings of anger and resentment from the public.

Ronald McMurtrie:

Those serving time in prison do have the opportunity to study for Open University degrees.  If successful in gaining a degree, should anyone on release be prevented from seeking appropriate employment?

Open University degrees have been severely curtailed by the ConDem government. Prisoners now how to take out loans in order to study for them. The number of degree courses have also been cut back because the OU now assumes that students have regular internet access but prisoners in Britain do not.

While the examples quoted are not in Engineering, it still demonstrates what is possible in terms of rehabilitation.

These are all simple basic jobs. I'm trying to work out how high the glass ceiling is when it comes to ex-cons and careers. It's notable that official education programmes in prisons of Level 3 and higher have almost completely been abolished by the ConDem government, leaving only basic (primary school level) education and Level 1 and 2 qualifications. Although the priority is prisoners with a low level of education and skills, reading between the lines is a message that there is little point in ex-prisoners having a Level 3 qualification or higher because they cannot realistically use them, which is why prisons no longer offer them, There is no point in a person who has served a prison sentence having or studying for a degree in dentistry as they cannot use it in Britain. Most careers working with children or vulnerable adults are also closed. A few ex-prisoners have studied law degrees and become solicitors, but this has provoked strong feelings of anger and resentment from the public.