Making a difference through employment!

Creating employment opportunities is a top priority for newly appointed CIE Area Operations Manager Don Robertson.

Don is no stranger to Corrections, having been with the Department for the last eight years. He is also a former police officer and Whangarei District Councillor.

“I’m excited about my role at Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) and I want to make a difference,” says Don. “If I can help prisoners gain work skills, I can help them break the cycle of crime and ultimately help make the Northland community a safer place.”

Increase chances
CIE manages over 140 business-like industries nationwide. At NRCF these include laundry, kitchen and forestry work.

“We need the support of local businesses to be able to offer prisoners the chance to participate in the Release to Work programme,” says Don.

CIE assesses market trends to identify industries that require qualified workers within the geographical areas where prisoners are likely to be released into. We aim to increase their chances of obtaining meaningful employment and at the same time help ease some of the regional skill shortages.

Interested in Release to Work?
In the last financial year 607 prisoners went through the Release to Work programme. They are subject to random and frequent checks at their workplaces by Corrections staff and drug and alcohol tests are conducted regularly.

CIE also keeps in close contact with the employer to check things are running smoothly. Extensive checks are made into the background of the employer or sponsor to make sure that the prisoner is being placed into an appropriate workplace.

Prisoners working in the community are paid market wages. Once their expenses have been paid, the remainder of their wages is held in a savings trust until they are released.

If your business is interested in taking part in the CIE Release to Work programme, please call CIE on 04 470 8494 or email cieworktraining@corrections.govt.nz