A prisoner employment partnership between Corrections and Canon will see prisoners assembling around 160 new Canon photocopiers and cleaning up to 35 existing machines.
Corrections Internal Services Manager Ruth Turner says prisoners from Rimutaka Prison and Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility (ARWCF) have been employed for the project which is expected to grow further.
"We are looking to expand the project to include refurbishing, dismantling and recycling machines," says Ruth. "A new operation has already begun at ARWCF where prisoners are dismantling obsolete, domestic printers to identify parts for recycling.
"We currently have around 15 prisoners working on this initiative, however more employment positions are expected to open up as the services provided increase."
Prisoners working on the Canon machines will earn New Zealand Qualification Authority accreditation. This can be put towards a national certificate in Electronic Manufacturing Level 3.
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ISSN 1178-8453