Prison Officer

lavman

received my letter last week too. god help anyone outside the 60 mark? if it's taking this long to start the first batch. anyone else from the midlands in the top 60? if so what placing. really need all the help i can get for the interview if it does come up. to be quiet honest i suck in that department. any tips. i have my name down to do a prep course.

bubbles1983

I did my physical on fri, and did everything i was asked but still no one told me wheather i pass or not!!! its a joke, at least they can give us a straight answer. all the waiting around and all the guessing is a joke, i've bin waitin just over 2 years. if it was the guards you'd b in in a heatbeat.

anyone awaiting the interview learn your questions that you need to fill out and you should to fine.

cmc2009

lavman wrote: »

received my letter last week too. god help anyone outside the 60 mark? if it's taking this long to start the first batch. anyone else from the midlands in the top 60? if so what placing. really need all the help i can get for the interview if it does come up. to be quiet honest i suck in that department. any tips. i have my name down to do a prep course.

i dont know if those numbers mean to much as when i was down doing my physical on friday.loads off the people i was talking to there numbers where all way down...

lavman

cmc2009 wrote: »

i dont know if those numbers mean to much as when i was down doing my physical on friday.loads off the people i was talking to there numbers where all way down...

i'd say they're from the previous competion the last one is at a stand still anyone think the guards will be doing another drive soon?

Scatman81

bubbles1983 wrote: »

I did my physical on fri, and did everything i was asked but still no one told me wheather i pass or not!!! its a joke, at least they can give us a straight answer. all the waiting around and all the guessing is a joke, i've bin waitin just over 2 years. if it was the guards you'd b in in a heatbeat.

anyone awaiting the interview learn your questions that you need to fill out and you should to fine.

Well lad im doing the pct in 2 weeks time,did they def not tell you if you passed surely if you failed some part of it they would have asked you to repeat it.Im def goin to ask if i passed as you said all the waiting around an all...

bubbles1983

Scatman81 wrote: »

Well lad im doing the pct in 2 weeks time,did they def not tell you if you passed surely if you failed some part of it they would have asked you to repeat it.Im def goin to ask if i passed as you said all the waiting around an all...

no noting at all, just a waiting game now. my advise for it is try practise the 40 shuttle runs, that was the hardest. anyone with a good bit of stength and fitness will be able to pass the rest.

po candidate

Hey lads

heard lastnight that loads of serving officers are retiring asap, apparently there is concern that their lump sum they get after retiring is goina be messed with by the government??, heard there's a sign up in the officers mess that anyone retiring must give 1 weeks notice atleast, some are walking out, i spoke to two officers lastnight this is what they told me

4 officers from 1 dublin prison have retired since last wednesday 4th

i may have to wait another while(2008 campaign) but some of you won't be waiting much longer......well hopefully

Scatman81

Ya an Officer told me that 28 have put in for retirement there lately in Cork.Hopefully more will follow.I wonder has anybody who was placed high in the '07 campaign started training yet??they would be the best source for info??

benelli

Hi folks, i did my exm in early 07 and started in the october of 07. There is a group in training at the moment with the last group from the campaign after that, due to start in the first week of june 09. The talk from the jails is that the sep/oct 08 campaign will be called to start training in September 09. As someone said already alot of officers whom are eligible for retirement are waiting to see how much the pension levy costs them. There is a new wing in Portlaoise and Wheatfield which are due to be opened soon and staff will be required for these jails.
So keep the faith, it worth the wait,

hope this helps.

Garryd

How long after ypu did your exam were you called up? I also did my exam early 2007 and passed my fitness test in october so im just waiting and have no idea when ill be called. Its all the waiting thats getting to everyone here. Waiting and not knowing whats happening.

benelli

From doing exam to start in beladd was just under 6 months. Scored in top 10 in exam, but people who were training with me were in the top 200. So it was a mixture. Alot depends on how quick you get your medical done after the interview. Did not have to do the Physical test. Hope this helps. i know the waiting can be a killer, but it good experience for when you get in to the job:p

dropsey

benelli thanks for your post . did physical last friday in beladd house they didnt tel us if we passed. was wandering how many people do they train per class ?. there was 30 of us at physical.thanks

cmc2009

i did my physical on Friday as well. i rang the prison service today...the number that is most important once you have done the interview is the one in which you are placed(graded) after the interview this determines how soon you get called up.. provided you pass the phy

dropsey

i spoke to one of recruit in training last friday they hav 7 weeks training done. that means in another 2 weeks anew batch wil probably start.

Garryd

Does anyone know how much notice they give you when you get called for training?

cmc2009

they train 20 at a time i was told...but when i was talking to the girl in HR today she said it could be a while and she said i'm close enough to the top like..wat time where u doing your test on friday

say they have to give you a month at least anyway...

dropsey

did mine in second batch at 4pm. 20 at a time means i wil have a nice wait.

cmc2009

did mine with u on friday

dropsey

i think everyone passd in our group as they didnt ask us to do any task twice

cmc2009

dropsey wrote: »

i think everyone passd in our group as they didnt ask us to do any task twice

2 or 3 off the girls failed..i know 2 defo did anyway.

dropsey

thats apity saw one girl go away early . best of luck anyway hope we get a start so .

Scatman81

benelli wrote: »

Hi folks, i did my exm in early 07 and started in the october of 07. There is a group in training at the moment with the last group from the campaign after that, due to start in the first week of june 09. The talk from the jails is that the sep/oct 08 campaign will be called to start training in September 09. As someone said already alot of officers whom are eligible for retirement are waiting to see how much the pension levy costs them. There is a new wing in Portlaoise and Wheatfield which are due to be opened soon and staff will be required for these jails.
So keep the faith, it worth the wait,

hope this helps.

Thanks for the info lad.What is Beladd like for the 7 weeks??

benelli

dropsey wrote: »

benelli thanks for your post . did physical last friday in beladd house they didnt tel us if we passed. was wandering how many people do they train per class ?. there was 30 of us at physical.thanks

Normally a group of around 24 or so. They use to do 3 or 4 groups at a time but have changed this lately. As regards notice to start in beladd they can be strange as sometimes they might only give you 2 weeks notice. I trained with people who got phonecalls on a friday to start monday. That the way it can work, if someone pulls out at last minute they call next on list. In relation to beladd, it is roughly 8 weeks in beladd with 1 week on familiarisation in a dublin jail. The training is broke down between class room work and the fun stuff like C&R training and BA.
The class room work is not too bad, you also have to take part in a 2 year course with sligo it. This course involves 4 semesters and you must pass each semester or you will be sacked. Anyone who gets accepted to beladd, i would recommend staying in beladd during the week as it helps for study as well as team building.
Hope this helps, best of luck to all.

TheNog

benelli wrote: »

you also have to take part in a 2 year course with sligo it. This course involves 4 semesters and you must pass each semester or you will be sacked.

What is the 2 yrs course in Sligo?

Is it distance learning education or do you go to Sligo full-time?

Garryd

As regrds the classrom work what is involved? Is it fairly hard goin or what way is it?

po candidate

finally someone with inside knowledge, and who has been there and done it.

Thanks pal,

benelli

TheNog wrote: »

What is the 2 yrs course in Sligo?

Is it distance learning education or do you go to Sligo full-time?

The course is a higher certificate in custodial care. It is done mainly online with about 5 days in Beladd per semester. The course is not to hard as long as you do the work.

As regards the class room work in beladd, it is mainly the day to day rules of a jail,Prison rules 2007 and the court structure. The instructors help you with most of the work, so it not too hard. There is 4 exams :2 re the rules and regs and court structure. You also have BA exam and a C&R exam, as well as a group project to do. The group project can be the toughest to do as if not all your group are staying in beladd, getting together can be tough.

Hope this helps.

Garryd

Cheers man. That puts me mind at ease a bit. If you have any other info you might think helpful to our plight dont hesitate to post it. Im sure im not speaking for myself when i say that we appriciate any info you can provide. Cheers again.

steven08

Does anyone know when the Prison Officers will be recruiting again??

lavman

Thanks all for the latest info there's still some hope for us yet.