The Western Australian Government is encouraging experienced tradespeople to join the state’s Corrective Services to teach prisoners life-changing skills.
There are 125 Vocational Support Officer roles now available, covering 50 different occupations including baking, cooking, metal fabricating, painting and gardening.
The officers play an important role in a prisoner’s rehabilitation program by helping upskill and focus on self-improvement so that when they leave prison they are better placed to find employment or continue with training.
The roles are based out of 14 prisons throughout Western Australia and also include reception officer and canteen supervisor.
Positions are open at Albany, Bandyup, Broome, Bunbury, Casuarina, Eastern Goldfields, Greenough, Hakea, Melaleuca, Roebourne, Wandoo and West Kimberley prisons, and the Wooroloo and Karnet prison farms.
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WA Corrective Services Minister Francis Logan said that as a former tradesperson himself, he knows how valuable hands-on life skills can be and how rewarding the work is.
“Vocational Support Officers play a very important role in our prisons and have the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of the people they work with and to local communities,” Logan said.
“When I visit our jails across the state, I always know that I will end up speaking to a Vocational Support Officer who will proudly tell me about the prisoners under their care who have gone on to find work on their release.
“The McGowan Government is a government of job creation and by putting more qualified and committed tradespeople in our jails, we increase the chances that prisoners will find work or further training on release.”