New apprenticeship program to offer options for workers with criminal records

Checkr’s apprenticeship program will offer on-the-job training and mentorship for 12 months, according to the background check company.

First published on

Checkr, a background check company, is launching an apprenticeship program called Catalyst to support hiring and training for workers with a criminal record, according to a Nov. 12 announcement.

Employers can participate in a 2025 cohort, which will offer on-the-job training and mentorship for 12 months. To support this, Checkr is funding two apprenticeship cohorts during the next two years.

“Over the last several years at Checkr, we’ve seen firsthand how fair chance hiring — the practice of considering and hiring people with records — leads to a stronger business, economy, and community,” the company said.

During the past year, Checkr piloted a 12-month paid apprenticeship program across several industries. Based on that experience, the company will expand the program to additional employers.

Companies that participate in the 2025 cohort can benefit by implementing or enhancing their fair chance hiring practices, tapping into a talent pipeline of motivated but often underutilized workers, building a more diverse workforce and offsetting costs using Checkr’s financial assistance.

Checkr will also partner with the San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development’s TechSF, which prepares workers for tech careers with no-cost career pathing and skills-based training, as well as The Last Mile, which provides education and training as part of an incarceration-to-employment program.  

For effective second-chance hiring, employers can use inclusive HR practices and work with community partners focused on formerly incarcerated people, experts told HR Dive. Recognizing biases and looking beyond traditional background checks can help as well.

During second-chance hiring interviews, companies should practice empathy and consider the right questions to ask, experts said during a SHRM conference session. Potential workers could face barriers related to transportation or child care, for instance.

Direct incentives could help employers consider workers with criminal records and better implement second-chance hiring, according to a study by University of Albany researchers. In particular, a $2,400 tax credit, $25,000 insurance against losses and rehabilitation certificates appeared to be most beneficial and increased hiring managers’ willingness to hire applicants with prior records.