The Training You Can Expect

What type of training is provided?

Newly recruited Prison Officers receive almost two months of pre-service training that includes time in the classroom and two weeks on-the-job in one of Corrections Victoria's prisons. You will complete the training with other trainees. This allows you to create strong and lasting work relationships with your colleagues.

This is followed by a period of close supervision combined with further self-paced, competency-based learning and on-the-job training to enable new officers to build on their skills in a graduated way. Typically, as new officers acquire more complex skills and training, they are given more challenging work roles.

Within one year of being employed, Corrections Victoria encourages new Prison Officer Recruits to continue acquiring skills and recruits are expected to achieve a Certificate III in Correctional Practice (Custodial).

While work as a Prison Officer is diverse and may entail a number of different duties on any given day, training cannot prepare you for every possible situation that may arise in the corrections environment. In these situations you will be guided by senior staff and trained specialists, and the legislation of Corrections Victoria. You will also develop a high standard of security awareness through the pre-service training course.

Physical Requirements of the Pre Service Training

The Prison Officer Pre Service Training includes various training modules that include a physical component. These include:

• Defensive tactics / tactical response:
  • Self defence
  • Restraint techniques
  • Breakaway techniques
  • Application of handcuffs
    
    
• Fire awareness:
  • Use of breathing apparatus (including timed assessment)
  • Use of water hoses and fire extinguishers
  • Search and rescue techniques in hot, smoke filled areas, including confined spaces
    
    
• Searching:
  • Cells and accommodation units
  • Work and recreation areas
  • Prisoners, visitors and contractors
  • Vehicles, mail and other deliveries
    
    
• Security Patrols:
  • Frequent internal and external patrols throughout prison buildings and around the prison perimeter
    
    
• On the job placement (2 weeks)
  • Daily exposure to all areas of the prison, including:
  • Visits
  • Employment, programs and recreation areas
  • Searches
  • Patrols
  • Case management
  • Security posts
  • Medical units
  • Barrier control

Trainee Prison Officers must be able to successfully complete these physical components of the Pre Service Training if they are to commence as Prison Officers.

To ensure all Prison Officer recruits are capable of undertaking the physical requirements of the Prison Officer role and Pre Service Training safely, without risk of injury to themselves or others, it is a requirement of the Prison Officer Recruitment Process that all candidates must successfully pass a Physical Capability Test prior to employment.

How is the training run?

The various learning modules are delivered as a combination of lectures, group exercises, role playing and on-the-job experience, plus daily and weekly assessments of your progress.

What is covered in the training?

A wide variety of necessary topics are covered in the training. These include:

• Crime Scene Preservation
• Hostage Awareness – trainees will be directed on how to respond to a hostage situation
• Movement Control and Escorts – training in safe and secure methods for transporting prisoners
• Conducting Searches
• Writing Reports for Corrections Victoria – this includes identifying the different types of reports to be prepared
• Preventing Suicide and Self Harm
• Infection Control – this includes raising awareness of common diseases and the process for cleaning bodily fluid spills
• Security Awareness – includes the identification of posts within the prisons
• Conflict Management
• Defensive Tactics and Tactical Options
• Prisoner Rights and Privileges – understanding prisoner rights and privileges, plus prisoner requests and complaints procedures
• Prison Visits Program – explains the types of visits prisoners are allowed, and explains the procedures to ensure security is maintained during visits
• Occupational Health and Safety, First Aid, Fire Awareness
• Victorian Public Service and Corrections Victoria Code of Conduct