Recruiting the best

As prisoner and community-based offender numbers continue to increase, Corrections has been running a major recruitment campaign to fill a wide range of roles across the organisation.

National Recruitment Manager Warren Young says Corrections has already appointed around 140 custodial officers and 170 probation officers.

“But we still need approximately 100 more custodial officers and 90 more probation officers.

“We’re also looking for nurses, clinical and forensic psychologists, Corrections Inmate Employment instructors – especially those with agricultural/horticultural or engineering experience, and a range of other roles from administrators to managers,” he says.

Warren says most of the recruiting for corrections officers has been as a result of the extra funding we received from the Government to implement extra double-bunking (where two prisoners share a cell).

Staff to prisoner ratios will remain the same in the four prisons where extra double-bunking will take place, so we are especially recruiting for Northland Region Corrections Facility, Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, Spring Hill Corrections Facility and Otago Region Corrections Facility.

It’s important to have enough experienced staff in these double-bunked prisons, so as well as recruiting new staff, Warren says Corrections has been inviting experienced staff to consider the opportunities of a relocation.

“Working in a different prison, under a different manager, is a challenge, but it’s also a great opportunity for staff who want to develop professionally,” he says.

The Community Probation Service is also continuing to welcome new probation officer recruits.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the probation officer roles and we’ve filled 130 positions with very high quality applicants from many walks of life,” says Warren.

“Quite a few successful applicants have management experience, which they are now translating successfully into the management of sentences.

“Typically these applicants come with some previous experience, working in the health and justice sectors or other government departments such as Child, Youth and Family, as well as ex-police and teachers.”

Visit www.corrections.govt.nz/careers to find out about job opportunities with Corrections.