HMP GUYS MARSH PRISON OFFICERS URGE POOLE LOCALS TO JOIN UP AND HELP CHANGE LIVES
- Prison Officers at HMP Guys Marsh encourage local people to join their team
- A vital role in protecting the public and turning offenders’ lives around
- New recruits can now earn over £30k*
Two Prison Officers at HMP Guys Marsh, Josh Williams and Ben Markey, are urging Poole residents to join them in a role that keeps the public safe and helps offenders turn their backs on crime.
The new drive to build a bigger and more diverse team at HMP Guys Marsh comes as the Government announces significant pay rises for Prison Service staff.
Josh Williams, aged 26, from Somerset, joined the prison service from his previous job as a part-time firefighter. He has worked as a Prison Officer for four and a half years and recently was appointed to the position of Wellbeing Lead, where he organises events and helps with staff support.
Josh said, “All of my former roles have helped me build skills talking to people I don’t know. From being in the cadets when I was younger, to working in a bar, both taught me about how to interact with different types of people. Working in the fire service also taught me about being responsible for somebody else’s life. This is an important part of the Prison Officer role as you have to be really attuned to prisoners’ needs.
One of the best parts of the role is the people that you work with. Colleagues make the experience great because you have to work closely as a team and support one another. To be a good officer, you need to have people skills, be resilient and able to think on your feet – it’s a challenging but rewarding role.”
Prison Officers at HMP Guys Marsh help to maintain safety standards on the inside, while also ensuring ex-offenders leave with the skills and experience they need to secure a job.
You don’t need qualifications to become a Prison Officer. HMP Guys Marsh is looking for people with good communication and influencing skills, effective decision-making, care and understanding.
Changes to pay mean the starting salary for Prison Officers has increased significantly, with new recruits taking home over £30,000*. This exceeds the average salary in the South West**.
Ben Markey, aged 37, from Somerset, has been a Prison Officer for six years, having previously worked as an enforcement officer for a local court. Ben wanted more variety in his role and saw that his local prison, HMP Guys Marsh, was recruiting, so decided to apply.
Ben said, “The Prison Officer role offers lots of variety and every day is different. You never know what you will be doing the next day, which is exactly what I was hoping for in this position. After some time working in a prison, you may start thinking that this is it – nothing will surprise you anymore – but it always does, which makes this role so exciting. Another rewarding element of being a Prison Officer is the enormous support from the team. There are lots of opportunities to progress or develop as a Prison Officer, and there are a number of different roles you can try during your time in the service.
If you are interested and want to get a sense of what it is like being a Prison Officer, do your research. If you have friends or family who are currently serving – talk to them, if not – there are plenty of recruitment centres and you can search online for prison jobs for more information.”
Ian Walters, Governor at HMP Guys Marsh says: “We have a fantastic team of staff at HMP Guys Marsh and they do incredible work every day. Prison Officers play an essential role in making a positive impact in vulnerable people’s lives. Working as part of a close-knit and supportive team, all helping to rehabilitate prisoners and reduce reoffending, is what makes this challenging, but rewarding, job so important.
This job isn’t just about locking and unlocking doors – Prison Officers play an essential role in changing the lives of those in custody. That is why it is so important that we have officers from all backgrounds who can be positive role models for the prisoners here. This recruitment drive is an opportunity for you to invest in your future. The role can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding, and there’s no shortage of support and guidance.”
There are currently over 21,000*** Prison Officer working across England and Wales but the service is looking for more recruits from a range of backgrounds. Applications for Prison Officer roles at HMP Guys Marsh are now open.
People who would like to take the first step towards a rewarding new career can apply or find out more by visiting https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/prison-officer/
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