Working with the Department of Justice means a steady income and stable job with regular hours for tradespeople and services staff.
If you have professional experience or are qualified in cleaning or laundry, canteen or retail management, library services, recreation, administration, logistics or warehousing, why not trade on your skills and apply to become a Vocational Support Officer (VSO). The Department of Justice employs VSOs to support the rehabilitative journey of prisoners around WA.
VSOs share their industry knowledge with adult prisoners and equip them with valuable work and life skills. This important role benefits prisoners during their time in custody and when they return to the community.
VSOs provide a range of opportunities for people in custody such as teaching laundry, cleaning, and general services.
VSOs impart valuable skills to enhance future employment prospects for prisoners, while teaching them responsibility and teamwork and help build pride in their ability to achieve.
Keeping food and textile production in-house also offers the prison estate a high level of self-sufficiency.
We’re currently hiring VSOs with Services qualifications. To see available positions, refer to the position descriptor guide.
To apply, visit the Department of Justice Jobs Board at doj-internet-wagov.bigredsky.com or explore current job opportunities below.
Can't find the role that you are looking for? Register your interest via email to or call 1800 974 199.recruitment@justice.wa.gov.au
Hear from some of our VSOs
Meet Francis
Meet Helen
Meet Jarred and Jarvis
Meet Jane
Meet Mike
Current job opportunities
Show more| Prison | Position Title | Level | Roster | * Category |
| Bandyup | General Relief Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| Casuarina | General Relief Officer | VSO2 | Alternate weekend 10hr | Administrative Support |
| Casuarina | Laundry Officer | VSO2 | Alternate weekend 10hr | Laundry |
| Casuarina | Recreation Instructor | VSO3 | Alternate weekend 10hr | Recreation |
| Casuarina | Video Link Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| Greenough | Canteen & Recreation Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Canteen or Recreation |
| Hakea | Cleaning Instructor | VSO3 | Monday to Friday | Cleaning |
| Hakea | Despatch Officer | VSO2 | Mon to Fri & Public Hols | Despatch |
| Hakea | General Relief Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| Hakea | Library Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| Hakea | Medical Support Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| Hakea | Recreation Officer | VSO2 | Alternate weekend 10hr | Recreation |
| Melaleuca | General Relief Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Administrative/Support |
| WKRP | Laundry/Cleaning Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Laundry or Cleaning |
| Wooroloo | Cleaning Instructor | VSO3 | Monday to Friday | Cleaning |
| Wooroloo | Despatch Officer | VSO2 | Monday to Friday | Despatch |
| Wooroloo | Laundry Instructor | VSO3 | Monday to Friday | Laundry |
* Category – During the online application process (PDF) this is the category to select for the position you are interested in.
Note:
- If an applicant is successful to the appointment pool, they will be eligible for consideration for permanent or fixed term contract positions relevant to their qualifications and/or vocational competencies.
- In the first instance, all permanent and temporary vacancies will be filled by recommended applicants from this selection process for the specific pool of positions.
- The remaining applicants found suitable in this pool, may be considered for subsequent, similar vacancies (equivalent to their qualification/vocational competencies), with the Department of Justice for the duration of the pool.
The Role
Show moreYou'll not only help deliver community and industry programs aimed at preventing re-offending and encouraging prisoner participation, you'll also be making a positive difference in prisoners' lives.
Our vocational support officers provide training to prisoners and manage programs aimed at increasing the prisons' self-sufficiency and raising commercial return.
You'll also need to ensure that your work environment complies with occupational safety and health regulations and production meets quality standards.
The benefits
Show moreOur Vocational Support Officers enjoy a range of great benefits including:
- employment security
- flexible working conditions
- generous leave entitlements including:
- 5 or 6 weeks annual leave plus 17.5% leave loading
- personal leave
- parental leave (paid and unpaid)
- study leave
- long service leave after 7 years
- purchased leave
- competitive salary: $69,624 - $115, 282per annum* plus superannuation (* Salary dependent on the position and according to the hours of duty and/or shift requirements)
- opportunities for promotion
- supplied uniforms
- regional incentives (depending on the location)
- the ability to utilise your trade skills to make a real difference to the lives of others.
* Note: some vocational support officer positions do not require qualifications and some involve shift work.
Eligibility
Show moreThe people we seek include:
- chefs
- bakers
- cabinet makers
- metal and mechanical tradespeople
- farm operators/farm managers
- horticulturalists/market gardeners/groundsmen
- laundry operators
- automotive panel/paint repairers
- abattoir workers
- textile/garments manufacturing tradespeople.
When positions are advertised, the eligibility requirements will be outlined in the Application Package, including the specific salary range applicable to the position and the trade qualifications or skills required.
You'll need to be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen.
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