Department’s training successes recognised by top award

The Department was chosen for its commitment to building a future-focused workforce through investing in staff training and helping prisoners become job-ready.

The annual awards under the auspices of the Department of Training and Workforce Development recognise excellence in vocational education and training and the outstanding achievements of trainees, training providers and employers.

“Winning this WA Training Award is a great honour and well-deserved recognition of our staff’s achievements,” Director General Kylie Maj said.

Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said: “We are committed to building a capable workforce through continuous learning and development, while enhancing growth, wellbeing and job prospects for people in our care.”

Last year the Corrective Services Academy trained close to 400 people to work in prisons, detention centres, work camps and community corrections.

The Academy has conducted back-to-back schools of Prison Officers, Youth Custodial Officers, Community Corrections Officers and Youth Justice Officers.

It introduced innovative strategies to boost staffing across the custodial estate, including schools for Prison Officers in regional centres and an accelerated training program for officers with prior custodial experience.

Corrective Services delivers a huge range of education and training opportunities to prisoners, often in partnership with universities, TAFEs and employer groups, to develop meaningful work and life skills that assist rehabilitation and prevent reoffending.

Thousands of prisoners annually are enrolled in nationally accredited education or vocational training courses and hundreds more enrol in traineeships and apprenticeships, improving their future employment prospects in areas including mining and construction.

Education initiatives are prioritised for those identified as having low language, literacy and numeracy skills, and a range of additional employability and life skills are taught via prisons industries like textiles, cookery, horticulture and farming.