Prison Officer

twowheelsonly wrote: »

Everybodies circumstances differ so it's hard to say definitively if it would be worth it. Certainly in the longer term it would most definitely be but you will most likely find it tough in the shorter term (first 3 years or so.)
It also depends on where you live/are based as transfer waiting times vary enormously depending on where you're looking to get to. I'd say that if ye're in Dublin grab it...if you're elsewhere down the country somewhere do your homework based on your own circumstances.
Depending on where he ends up working the time off can be quite good and can be 'managed' through swops etc. and it's pretty much every second weekend off.

Personally...Despite some hard times, I'd do it all again tomorrow..

He has sent in his form and got his date for interview, we live about half an hour from Portlaoise but obviously theres no certainty he'll get there and not somewhere in Dublin and anyone we've been talking to has said that he will have to spend a few years in Dublin starting off anyway.

Everyones circumstances do differ and we are giving this careful consideration its not like we can just say yes and forget about it.

Also is it said that you do 30 years service and then can retire and if not you have to retire at 60 years of age? If this is the case then he will be 3 years short of 30 years service by the time he's sixty so that will affect his pension (if any given the way this government is doing things! but thats a whole other topic!)

Even though he's not even through the interviews yet its still a lot to think about - nothing worth doing is ever easy I suppose!

abj wrote: »

He has sent in his form and got his date for interview, we live about half an hour from Portlaoise but obviously theres no certainty he'll get there and not somewhere in Dublin and anyone we've been talking to has said that he will have to spend a few years in Dublin starting off anyway.

Everyones circumstances do differ and we are giving this careful consideration its not like we can just say yes and forget about it.

Also is it said that you do 30 years service and then can retire and if not you have to retire at 60 years of age? If this is the case then he will be 3 years short of 30 years service by the time he's sixty so that will affect his pension (if any given the way this government is doing things! but thats a whole other topic!)

Even though he's not even through the interviews yet its still a lot to think about - nothing worth doing is ever easy I suppose!

Given that information I'd say go for it. There's loads of lads car pooling etc and travelling up and down every day so expenses are shared. As I said, the first 3 years will be tough enough until he gets on the proper pay-scale. He will be stuck in Dublin for a while and won't get back to Portlaoise anytime soon though :-(
Regarding the 30 years, your information is correct. However, you have the option of 'buying' those 3 years of service but it's quite expensive and IMO he'd be better off starting an 'AVC' when he has 10-15 years left to serve. In either case, the difference if he just goes with what he's earned in a pension it should still be fairly decent (Depending on what our wonderful leaders decide next!!)
It can be a daunting step to take for anybody but, much as we might complain about it, the amount of people that genuinely regret joining is miniscule. Best of luck either way !!

somehope11 wrote: »

From how i thought it worked,and im totally open to correction here,the interviews are in batches of 120.Im in the 480 to 600 batch and this is why i was asking is anybody over 600 being asked for interview.If you are in between 70 and 100 i must have it wrong,anyway the fact you have been called for interview is a good sign and we have been waiting 3years for this so 3 weeks extra is not goin to make any difference to us.

To be honest I wasn't waiting, I had long forgot about this competition, thought I'd have to apply again, hope I get over the next hurdle and clear sailing after that

brigal wrote: »

Got my date this morning, does the fact its in 3 weeks time and the interviews are starting on the 6th potentially mean hundreds of people are being interviewed?

no the public appointments service postponed interviews there starting 13th of feb interview 120 at a time

brigal wrote: »

120 invites or acceptances, do you know how big the classes are and how many there will be?

120 invites usually the classes are 20 and usually take 2 in close succession from wat i hear

They can take in 3 classes of 25ish if push came to shove, best of luck to anyone who gets an interview, and be prepared for it, their not trying to catch you out, just be prepared.:D

can anyone off the existing panel that has been successful with the process pm me some tips for the interviews ?

brigal wrote: »

I would also like some tips but was afraid to ask because of the paranoia of "watchers" around the place, I'm sure the best advise is to be yourself as that way you can't trip yourself up

There's only one paranoid tin-foil hat wearer on here who talks about 'the watchers', dont let it become a staple of the forum! If it was a case of 'watchers' or whatever, this would be private I'm sure.

Anyway brigal and cavan4sam, PM's on the way

mufc2011 wrote: »

well lads anyone roughly no how long youl be waiting for medicals and physicals after interview?

i done my interview in october, pass that, done medical around march and started training in october but from what i know it can all change

brigal wrote: »

From what I can gather from previous public jobs under certain circumstances it could only take like 2 weeks from interview to starting, happened 2 of my friends when they joined the guards about 6 or so years back they got a call on the friday telling them to be in templemore on the monday and considering all the retirements at the end of the month something similar could happen here

the retirements have been happening consistantly in the prison service over the last few months there wont be a huge glut going in the next while i think, The prisons are now running at a massive shortage of staff so any newbies wil be greatly welcomed :D:D

thanks lads just thought wit retirements and the extensions to the dochas and midlands prisons expected to be opening soon thought they mite take ppl on quicker

cavan4sam wrote: »

anyone do interview today ?

Were they definitely on today? Mines next week

@cavan4sam

Are we the only 2 on here due an interview that you know of?

cavan4sam wrote: »

it wud seem so
time for me to get my ass in gear and get more prep done

Strange, thought more people would use this thread, I'm not missing out on one am I?
I've been meaning to put my ass in gear since I found out, all I've managed to do is lose a stone in 3 weeks which is only any good if I get to stage 3

mufc2011 wrote: »

anyone nlo how long you wait till u hear how ya did after interview?

Could take a week or more or they might wait til after all the interviews are complete, how do you feel it went??