Idaho’s ICONIC Program Gives Hope and Second Chances

ICONIC student Jessica Kramer stands with her hard hat.

ICONIC student Jessica Kramer stands proudly at Land Lab Day with her hard hat. (Photo credit: Idaho Department of Labor)

Jessica Kramer is ready for a second chance at life and to pursue a career path that she is passionate about. The Idaho Career Opportunities – Next in Construction (ICONIC) program has provided that opportunity and opened the path to a new possible life.

Kramer has been incarcerated for the past three years and has one left to complete her sentence. While she was first incarcerated at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Pocatello, Kramer was presented with a construction class with the National Center for Construction Education and Research. That is when she was introduced to becoming a heavy equipment operator.

“I never thought about doing it (being a heavy equipment operator) a day in my life. When I started to get these ideas, I got a vision for life and I started to see that I could have something more than I had ever had before,” Kramer said.

Kramer has since moved back to Boise and is under supervision at the East Boise Community Reentry Center as she completes her sentence. There, she got connected to the ICONIC program. Her goal — to create a new life for herself in a new career.

In the program, students get a mix of in classroom education and hands-on learning to learn all the parts of heavy equipment operation. Recently, Kramer got to participate in the hands-on part of the program during Land Lab Day where program participants practice on excavators to develop their construction skills. In particular, she got to dig trenches.

This program has given her the opportunity to add this experience to her resume, further her skills and gave her a head start in starting a new career to make a life for herself. And being incarcerated, the opportunity to participate meant everything to her.

“This is just a building block like everything has been. Operating heavy equipment isn’t the end goal for me,” Kramer said. “I do want to get very efficient and know the groundwork, but I would like to move up in projects and find out what’s that all about.”

Kramer said being able to do this has been a big deal and she appreciates that east Boise has supported her while she pursues this new career path. But the community, isn’t her only support system.

Kramer has a 15-year-old daughter, and she wants to teach her that it is possible to overcome adversity.

“My daughter, she is in a place where she is trying to sort out her future and what she wants to do,” Kramer said. “I just want her to see that it’s worth investing (in a career) – in a real way – where you find something you love.”

Kramer said she worked with machinery and tools in prison, working in maintenance. Once the ICONIC opportunity arose, with her experience, everything clicked into place.

“Being in the real world and seeing myself do things that I have never seen myself doing…it gives hope,” Kramer said.

ICONIC is a free five-week intensive course which involves a mix of classroom and hands-on learning for Idahoans to earn a certification in heavy equipment operation.

The next cohort will be in Twin Falls in the spring. Dates have not been announced yet. For updates visit iconic.idaho.gov.