People across Essex and the East of England are being urged to consider job opportunities in the Probation Service as the Ministry of Justice launches new TV adverts as part of a recruitment drive.
The adverts aim to tell the human stories of offenders and staff through scenes depicting the reality of working in these extraordinary roles. It aims to challenge some of the misconceptions associated with working in the probation office.
People come from all walks of life to form one team in the Probation Service. The new roles are open to a wide range of applicants, from those starting out to those with wider life or work experience. The roles are ideal for those looking for a rewarding career within a dynamic environment where no day is the same. They also provide an opportunity to support people to rebuild their lives and protect the local community.
Sarah, Deputy Head of the North Essex Probation Delivery Unit, advised on some of the TV advertising to ensure it portrays the real story of the working in probation.
Sarah said: “I’ve been working in the Probation Service for 18 years helping people rebuild their lives and reducing reoffending in our communities. It’s a rewarding place to work with a wide range of opportunities to make a difference to the lives of offenders and their families.
“I was pleased to support the development of this new campaign and help authentically bring to life the important work we do in the Probation Service that helps makes our communities safer. I would encourage people across Essex to consider if a career in the Probation Service might be right for them”.
The number of people working in probation in the East of England has increased in the last twelve months. Currently there are around 1800* people working in Probation Service roles, and over the last year the region welcomed almost 200 new joiners.
Probation Service staff support offenders on their rehabilitation journey, helping them to make better life choices and reducing the chances they will re-offend.
HMPPS is looking to fill a number of roles including probation service officers, case administrators, receptionists, Community Payback supervisors and Community Payback placement coordinators. The Probation Service works with offenders serving community sentences, and individuals who are pre or post-release from prison. Roles within the service help to support their rehabilitation and protect the public.
2023 data shows that 2,300+ people from a range of backgrounds have started a role in the Probation Service between June 2022 and June 2023*. HMPPS is continuing to build on this work to attract a wave of recruits who are even more representative of the community they serve.
All roles are challenging and rewarding, with great training, support and opportunities for progression.
Applications for all probation service roles are open now: https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/agency/probation-service/ ?utm_campaign=probation_essex_nov23&utm_medium=media&utm_source=fc
Candidates who are successful in their application for probation officer roles will go through a full training programme. When this is complete, candidates will gain a professional qualification, along with a competitive salary and generous leave. When you start your training, you’ll be a probation services officer, learning on the job and studying to gain your fully funded Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP). Eligibility requirements for the role include a Level 5 qualification, or above, such as an honours degree, a foundation degree or a diploma of higher education.
You can register your interest now
A three year pay award guarantees increases in all Probation Service pay bands each year for the next three years. By the end of the multi-year pay deal:
Case administrators will be able to earn up to £25,210
Probation service officers will be able to earn up to £31,650
Qualified probation officers will be able to earn up to £42,000
Career benefits of working in the Probation Service include progression, training, support, a good pension and generous annual leave allowance.
The “An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you” adverts will run on catch-up TV and social media throughout the autumn.
