The focus on employment opportunities for prisoners has been heightened in the latest round of training for Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) instructors.
The competency-based core training regime for CIE instructors is part of Corrections’ new three-year strategy to increase and improve employment opportunities for prisoners as outlined in the recently released Prisoner Employment Strategy.
Competency-based core training sees CIE instructors learning communication techniques, adult education, health and safety, first aid, fire fighting, quality management business skills and offender management.
CIE Manager Brent Maughan says these practical training programmes rely on staff with industry skills and knowledge and the ability to pass them on.
“It’s a quality in, quality out mentality,” he says.
“Targeted, high quality industry training and top notch staff provide prisoners with an engaging learning environment that will ultimately lead to better educated, better trained, more work-ready prisoners.”
This year alone, CIE provided more than 3,800 New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) unit standards to prisoners and a variety of other formally recognised qualifications as well.
“Short-term, this is about getting prisoners qualified and increasing the chance they will find sustainable work on their release. Long-term this will help decrease the number of prisoners being reconvicted,” Brent says.
Training recognises and builds on previous learning and experiences and existing skills are further developed.
As a result, CIE staff can provide prisoners with training and qualifications to a nationally recognised standard.
To date, Core Training Programme CIE instructors have gained 4,881 credits and 58 staff have got their National Certificate in Adult Education.
By September 2006, they should have raked up over 6,000 credits towards their National Certificates in Adult Education or Public Services Sector Prison Instruction.
As well as getting training in adult education and prison instruction, CIE staff can also gain qualifications in their specific industries such as forestry, textiles, or horticulture.
There are currently over 150 instructor assessors affiliated with Industry Training Organisations delivering training and assessments to prisoners in NZQA Unit Standards.
“The importance of this approach is immeasurable,” says Brent. “Research shows prisoners who receive employment experience and training are more likely to get paid employment, and less likely to go on a benefit once released.
“It has been clearly demonstrated internationally that work and vocational training has a marked impact on re-offending rates.”
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ISSN 1178-8453