A major recruitment drive targeting regional Queenslanders kicks off at the Ekka today with a special display stand manned by Corrective Services staff to be front and centre at the State Government pavilion.
The Minister for Police and Corrective Services Mark Ryan will launch the new campaign, to recruit more than 700 Queenslanders this financial year, many of them in regional areas.
“Queensland Corrective Services is looking for Queenslanders from a wide range of backgrounds to fill positions funded in this year’s State Budget,” Minister Ryan said.
“With 11 high security and six low security prisons located from Lotus Glen in the north to Numinbah in the South, as well as 13 work camps in across regional Queensland, QCS is an economic powerhouse for regional Queensland.
“When you add in the 36 district offices and 150 reporting locations across the State, QCS has more than 5000 officers right now, making them a significant Queensland wide employer, and today we’re announcing that we’ll need hundreds more staff this financial year.
“Many of these jobs are in custodial corrections, where we need recruits with a wide range of life skills and backgrounds.
“Successful candidates will be paid while they undergo a 10-week training course to teach them the required skills necessary to work at the front line of public safety.
“The most important attribute we are looking for are people who are committed to keeping the community safe.
“Of course, good communication skills are vital to be a successful custodial corrections officer, so is the desire to change people’s lives for the better.
“With the expansion of Capricornia Correctional Centre in Rockhampton coming online in 2020 – 2021, we are looking to start recruiting over 200 new officersto staff the centre.
“Additionally, as the state’s overall prisoner numbers grow in line with current projections, up to 200 additional jobs will need to be filled in this sector over the coming year.
“This big recruitment drive is a great opportunity for regional Queenslanders to secure permanent, fulltime, secure work in an agency which offers manyrewarding career paths.
Commissioner Peter Martin said that the campaign invited Queenslanders to ‘take a look inside’ to see if they have what it takes to be a part of a front-line top tier public safety agency.
“The campaign also features a new webpage profiling the most commonly recruited jobs in QCS and gives a unique insight into the work and the culture of the organisation,” Commissioner Martin said.
“From custodial correctional officers to psychologists to trade instructors, there are many career paths within QCS.
“I’d encourage anyone looking for an interesting role where they can make a real difference to the lives of all Queenslanders by reducing crime to take a look inside at corrections.qld.gov.au or come and talk to our officers at the QCS stand in the Government pavilion during the Ekka,” Commissioner Martin said.
