RICHMOND, Va. — A nonprofit in Richmond is teaching incarcerated individuals highly sought-after technical skills to help prepare them to join the workforce upon their release.

Persevere, which operates out of the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Center, has trained more than 1,400 individuals in coding and website building.

The nonprofit says these individuals tend to be loyal to their employers because they’re given a second chance upon release.

The nonprofit also teaches necessary life skills for incarcerated individuals leaving the justice system, lowering recidivism rates.

Those with the nonprofit hope to help break the stigma around hiring those who served time.

“Maybe they were a manager, they were a supervisor, they can be a teacher and they can be a business owner, but because they have been in the wrong, they serve time, people don’t see that respect,” Ferdinand Lossou, with Persevere, said. “They are here to work, so if you give them a choice, they are going to take the job, which is then going to increase the job retention for your company.”