Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, visited the Ventura Training Center (VTC) to see firsthand how the program trains formerly incarcerated people to continue their careers as firefighters.
During the visit, Prince Harry met with firefighter cadets and program staff and learned how the Ventura Training Center prepares people who served on incarcerated fire crews to transition home and reenter the firefighting workforce.
The Ventura Training Center provides firefighter training and certification, along with rehabilitation and job-readiness support that helps participants succeed after completing the program. Participants earn industry-recognized credentials and pursue career opportunities with CAL FIRE and other firefighting agencies across California.
Through focused training and employment pathways, the program helps participants overcome long-standing barriers to reentry and advance their careers in firefighting and emergency response.
Prince Harry’s visit emphasized the role of rehabilitation, workforce development, and reentry programs in expanding opportunity while strengthening community safety, especially as California continues to face increasingly severe wildfire seasons.
The Ventura Training Center is an innovative 18-month residential program developed in collaboration with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Parole Operations, the California Conservation Corps, and the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.
