10 August
Corrections Inmate Employment Instructors around the country have been brushing up on their technical skills over the past year, as a partnership between Corrections and Weltec offers them the chance to get trade certified.
“We’ve got some fantastic painting instructors working for us,” says National Grounds Maintenance and Assets Manager Dawn Benefield. “Some of them have years of experience, but haven’t achieved their formal trade certification. Thanks to the great partnership we have with Weltec, we’ve been able to progressively support all of our painting instructors to get their trade certification.”
“On top of having their prior learning and experience recognised in the form of trade certification, we have also had the opportunity to have them train to become Weltec recognised and accredited assessors,” says Dawn.
“Our instructors are able to give prisoners the benefit of their years of industry experience, and we believe that continually investing in our staff means that they can pair their experience with the skills they learn in becoming accredited adult educators.”
“We’re making great progress – at the end of last year we had six trade certified painting instructors, now we have fourteen. We also have another three instructors at Weltec currently getting accredited.”
“By upskilling our Instructors, we’re able to ensure we offer the best possible training to prisoners participating in CIE activities. Instructors are given the training and tools to better motivate offenders to engage with their learning, and are able to assess them at NZQA level.”
Corrections Inmate Employment provides employment experience and training for prisoners across a range of industries, and one area of focus is the building industry where a shortage of trained workers is expected to increase.
Corrections offers NZQA recognised training around the country, in partnership with Polytechnics, Institutes of Technology and Industry Training Organisations. Building industry skills taught include construction, painting, plumbing, bricklaying and engineering.
“Our aim is to help prisoners find sustainable employment on release, reducing their risk of reoffending and ultimately making our communities safer.”
For further information contact the Communications Services Desk:
Phone: (04) 460 3365
Email: commdesk@corrections.govt.nz
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