BALTIMORE — Robert Pittman says he had a dark childhood.
He lost his mom at age eight and many other family members before he turned 10.
When he was 17, he was sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years.
After serving seven years, his whole life changed.
He began reading books, which gave him a new outlook on life.
While in jail, he went from having a third-grade reading level to having a bachelor's degree.
“From that point on, I was able to see my freedom, so I started doing stuff towards my freedom right after that, I was like man I could be free,” says Robert Pittman.
Pittman served 24 years in prison.
He says once he got out on parole, he was determined to get a job.
The Sunday after his release, he met a member of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, and the next day, he had five job interviews.
“It gave me the opportunity to choose which one felt the best for me,” says Robert Pittman.
He chose to be a peer recovery specialist at the Glowing Souls behavioral health center.
“I came to the conclusion that the easiest way for me to help myself is to help the group that I’m a part of,” says Robert Pittman.
Just two weeks after his release from prison, he has a new career.
He says it's all thanks to the mayor’s office of employment development.
“We work with all different sectors, in demand, sectors from healthcare to it and the arts to just anything anyone’s looking for where they’re to be able to help them find that opportunity,” says Mack Garvin.
Pittman says working with MOED to get a job was the best decision he made since getting out of prison.
“This is the place if you don’t know now, you know, this is the place because one of the main reasons why a lot of individuals might not have a job it’s because they don’t know where to look for one,” says Robert Pittman.
He now has a job that he loves doing, helping other people better their lives.
Mack Garvin, director of MOED, says Pittman’s story is an example of why the department exists.
"We love working with people, and we love our city, and we know that our city is healthier when people are working. We know people are healthier and happier when they can’t afford to do the things that they need to do to live, so that’s why we do this work.” says Mack Garvin.
Robert encourages others with criminal backgrounds or anyone who is looking for a job to reach out to the mayor’s office of employment development.
In 2023, the department was able to help just under 400 ex-offenders find jobs with benefits.
