Townsville custodial correctional officers graduate into frontline roles
- 21 officers start new career at Townsville Correctional Complex
- Opportunities available throughout the state to join the frontline of community safety
Townsville Correctional Complex welcomed another 21 new Custodial Correctional Officers onto the frontline of community safety in a graduation ceremony today (7 April).
They join 18 officers who graduated in Townsville last week.
The recruits will work to reform and rehabilitate offenders at Townsville Correctional Complex and play an essential role in delivering safety for Queensland communities.
Coming from careers in Defence, construction, education, healthcare, mining, and hospitality, the new officers have completed 10-weeks of paid training to equip them with skills in conflict management and tactical operations as they step into their new roles.
More than 200 new officers have graduated from QCS' Custodial Officer Entry Program training recently and deployed to correctional centres across the state, from Lotus Glen in Mareeba to Queensland's newest prison, the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre, in Gatton, southeast Queensland.
Acting General Manager Townsville Correctional Complex, Chief Superintendent Silvi Barretta welcomed the officers to their new frontline role.
"Uniquely, we have a second group of custodial correctional officers graduating today, helping to deliver meaningful reform and rehabilitation," Chief Superintendent Barretta said.
"Every interaction our officers have is an opportunity to address offending behaviour and to improve the vocational and life skills of prisoners, assisting in their rehabilitation and safe reintegration back into the community.
"Working in corrections can be challenging but also extremely rewarding, and I encourage anyone looking for a career that supports community safety to take a look at the opportunities available."
There is a wide range of career paths and opportunities with Queensland Corrective Services working in custodial environments and in the community.
QCS is actively recruiting for positions across Queensland, including custodial officers, programs and education officers, case managers, occupational therapists, psychologists and counsellors working in correctional mental health.
Applications for custodial officers can be submitted via the careers page of the QCS website, which will be followed by a phone interview, group assessment and fitness test.
