Maryland Correctional Enterprises’ mission is to “provide structured employment and training activities for offenders in order to improve employability upon release, to enhance safety and security, to reduce prison idleness, to produce quality, saleable goods and services, and to be a financially self-supporting State Agency.
For nearly 40 years MCE (previously State Use Industries) has been tirelessly working on fulfilling this mission and consequently changing lives for the better. As you could expect, we have many success stories under our belts and we are proud to share some of them on this blog.
Meet Thomas Lane
Thomas Lane is a former Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) inmate participant that was able to secure a position as a Graphic Designer at MCE Headquarters immediately after his release.
VIDEO: Watch Thomas' Interview
The secrets of a strong work ethic
They say hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.
A strong work ethic is one of the driving factors not only in workplace productivity but also in your career success. Forming good habits such as always showing up on time, focusing, staying motivated, and finishing (even those less interesting) tasks immediately is the key to a strong work ethic that impresses everyone from your boss to your coworkers and customers.
Applying principles above to your daily routine will help to improve your work performance, increase the likelihood of career advancement, and ultimately positively impact your job satisfaction.
Let your work ethic speak for itself
Let’s move to a real-life example… Thomas Lane has been a jack of all trades on MCE’s tiny marketing team for 15 years now.
When I recently joined the team, I couldn’t help but notice that his energy, enthusiasm, and upbeat attitude were absolutely contagious. Instead of being nervous about all responsibilities of my new job, I became truly excited and thrilled to be a part of something great!
There is no doubt that Thomas has MCE’s mission at heart. He’s always ready to chip in on any project and completes every assignment before its deadline. He is relentless, never takes shortcuts, and always looks for ways to make positive changes to MCE.
Thomas is an absolute master of visual arts and his work includes a variety of tasks from simple picture edits to highly complex projects such as creating marketing videos and designing collateral. He never hesitates to take on a new challenge even if it seems to be outside of his job description.
You may be surprised to learn that his journey with graphic design started... during his incarceration. He worked at MCE’s Graphics Plant for 3 years before his release. Already as an inmate participant, he was known for his exemplary work ethic. Thomas always returned his work “in the highest quality and in a timely manner”.
We are proud that throughout his years at MCE Thomas was able to become a mentor and an inspiration for others.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Read Thomas’ Case Study
Thomas is one of many MCE participants that, promptly after release, was able to obtain stability thanks to saved earnings and soft and trade skills acquired throughout his time with MCE. Throughout the next couple of months, we will be introducing more former MCE participants that are a living testimony of MCE’s mission and vision statements.
Written By: Natalia F.