Careers in the Isle of Man Prison Service

Want a career change that that changes lives

Prison Officers

We're Custody Support Officers, decision makers and problem solvers, can you be?

We are looking for great people to join our team of Prison Officers. In this role you'd be working towards our vision of protecting the public and reducing re-offending, by enabling offenders to reform their lives.

Don't worry if you've not worked as a Prison Officer before – full training is provided and we think your skills, attitude and abilities are the key to achieving success in this role!

The role of a Prison Officer is not a regular 9-5 job. Day to day you'll help to create a safe and secure environment enabling a culture of rehabilitation. No day is the same here and you will have the opportunity to enjoy a varied workload.
A typical day could involve carrying out reception procedures for prisoners arriving into custody, processing prisoner casework, supervising prisoners on the wing, or supervising visits. There's so much more to the role and the Recruitment Pack details all of the duties you could undertake as part of this role.

The work may be challenging at times but the rewarding nature of the role means you will have a real opportunity to achieve great job satisfaction.

What can this role offer me?

Although we work on a shift pattern that includes days, nights and weekends, we operate a self-rostering system which means that staff can plan work around external commitments and responsibilities, whilst fulfilling the needs of the Prison.

The team at the Prison are very well established and experienced and will be able to support you while you get to grips with your new role.

Along with access to the full range of courses the Government Learning and Development Centre offer, there are also plenty of role specific training and development opportunities – these could include first aid, mental health awareness and control and restraint courses. Many Prison Officers have developed a career in the Prison Service, specialising in different areas of the Prison or becoming Senior Officers.

If you’re looking for a challenging, varied but rewarding role, this could be the perfect next step for you!

Roles in the Prison Service:

1. Governor grades
2. Principal officers
3. Senior officers
4. Prison officers
5. Operational support grades
6. Specialists
7. Physical education
8. Dog handling
9. Catering
10. Trades

Not every day is the same

What life working as a Prison Officer looks like!

What made you choose a career as a Prison Officer?

Initially I chose to apply for the Prison service because I was looking for a job in which I could start to build a career that provided the opportunity for diverse development. I was also attracted by the security the position offered and the wage.

What is the team like that you work in?

The team that I work in diverse in age and experience which helps us all to develop to better deal with problems. We are resilient and adaptable and work hard to face the challenges presented to us.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I like that there is the chance to specialise in different areas of the prison which has helped to keep me motivated. To date, alongside my main role, I have worked as a Negotiator, a Restraint Training Instructor and also assisted with other training. I have also been trained in corporate coaching and recruitment.

While working in the team, what development opportunities have you had?

I have had the chance to become a Negotiator and Control and Restraint instructor as well as undertaking other training courses including recruitment, coaching, management skills, first aid, mental health awareness and various other skills. These skills, whether new or developed from my previous skill set and experiences, have allowed me effectively deal with various challenging and unpredictable situations with vulnerable and volatile individuals. This has helped me to keep my colleagues and the prisoner’s safe in situations that could have had vastly different outcomes.

How do you feel you have developed whilst being in your current role?

I have become more confident and also vastly improved my already established people skills. It has also given me the chance to learn and develop crisis management skills that have been useful in and out of work.

You’ll love this job if… you are adaptable, resilient and enjoy a challenge!

You should work here because… we are a constantly developing team and you will have different life story and perhaps a new skill set that you can share to the benefit of us all.

What would you tell someone thinking of joining the team?

This is a very challenging role that isn’t for everyone so you should carefully consider the kind of environment that you will be entering and how this may change your life. That said it will also provide you with a range of development opportunities and the chance to meet and work with a diverse group of colleagues where you will undoubtedly make some very strong friendships.

Before you apply ask yourself

I’m I?

• at least 18 years old
• reasonably fit
• have a full, clean driving licence
• can I pass a satisfactory Police Check

Other areas

• Manx worker (preferably)

You don’t need qualifications to become a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important.

We expect you to demonstrate the following:

• good communication and influencing skills
• teamwork and collaboration
• effective decision-making
• care and understanding
• integrity
• ability to communicate well with people from all walks of life.