Northern Ireland prison service (now recruiting))

Scottlad101

chris777 wrote: »

Does that mean they might go past 250? Or if ur over 250 u wont get it?

I would take it that they will work to 250 and anyone who fails a medical or vetting, or declines then they will move down the list further

chris777

Scottlad101 wrote: »

I would take it that they will work to 250 and anyone who fails a medical or vetting, or declines then they will move down the list further

Yeah thats what i was thinking... I know last year they moved very far down the merit list so anyone over 250 i wouldnt worry too much, especially if this goes on for another year

HighburyLad

I was about to say the same myself, anyone even over the 250 mark shouldn't worry, the amount of people within that time scale that will move on to other things, or fail medicals and vetting I would say could be quite high

Scottlad101

HighburyLad wrote: »

I was about to say the same myself, anyone even over the 250 mark shouldn't worry, the amount of people within that time scale that will move on to other things, or fail medicals and vetting I would say could be quite high

Yea I'd say it'll move down to near 300 or even 350

chris777

HighburyLad wrote: »

I was about to say the same myself, anyone even over the 250 mark shouldn't worry, the amount of people within that time scale that will move on to other things, or fail medicals and vetting I would say could be quite high

Exactly... Also, they wont only recruit 250 to keep the recruitment process running another year. Honestly folks this is good news for everyone who passed ac

sharon1986

chris777 wrote: »

Exactly... Also, they wont only recruit 250 to keep the recruitment process running another year. Honestly folks this is good news for everyone who passed ac

Happy days! Here's hoping 10 people pull out !

HighburyLad

sharon1986 wrote: »

Happy days! Here's hoping 10 people pull out !

I would put my money on it!

chris777

sharon1986 wrote: »

Happy days! Here's hoping 10 people pull out !

Whats their email address? I might send one for more clarity on the issue lol

HighburyLad

info@niprisonservice.gov.uk

Thats the email that I have used

Ted777

I think if successful I will just take the PCO position I'm happy with that tbh

HighburyLad

If I had ticked that and not just the custody officer role, I would've taken whatever they threw at me lol, my bud that's in the prison service said he heard from his seniors that this is going to be the last major recruitment for a long time, so it could be years before this arrives again

Ted777

HighburyLad wrote: »

If I had ticked that and not just the custody officer role, I would've taken whatever they threw at me lol, my bud that's in the prison service said he heard from his seniors that this is going to be the last major recruitment for a long time, so it could be years before this arrives again

Yes as I said before a foot in the door is better than none and you never know maybe I could go across to CO in time my partner who a CO says I should take the PCO I only applied for all to increase my chances of something lol

sharon1986

HighburyLad wrote: »

If I had ticked that and not just the custody officer role, I would've taken whatever they threw at me lol, my bud that's in the prison service said he heard from his seniors that this is going to be the last major recruitment for a long time, so it could be years before this arrives again

I ticked both but as I'm quite far down list I wasn't too hopeful. I am taking the station enquiry role iv been offered with police to start on September but if PCO or CO comes up il change

HighburyLad

sharon1986 wrote: »

I ticked both but as I'm quite far down list I wasn't too hopeful. I am taking the station enquiry role iv been offered with police to start on September but if PCO or CO comes up il change

Yeah that's a good plan, my plan is to patiently wait and see what happens with the prison service, but for the mean time work away with where i'm at atm, which isn't too bad, but the psni are to open up recruitment in september and i'll be giving my all for that, if i was to be successful with the psni before I had heard from the prison service, then I will be going with the psni without question, so that would be potentially one body out of the line lol, thats not to say im not as dedicated to the prison service, just whatever happens for me first

sharon1986

HighburyLad wrote: »

Yeah that's a good plan, my plan is to patiently wait and see what happens with the prison service, but for the mean time work away with where i'm at atm, which isn't too bad, but the psni are to open up recruitment in september and i'll be giving my all for that, if i was to be successful with the psni before I had heard from the prison service, then I will be going with the psni without question, so that would be potentially one body out of the line lol, thats not to say im not as dedicated to the prison service, just whatever happens for me first

Yeh I totally understand. Gonna apply for PSNI myself too

HighburyLad

sharon1986 wrote: »

Yeh I totally understand. Gonna apply for PSNI myself too

These type of jobs are a rarity, not just the pride about the job, but the financial benefits with, job security, pensions etc, the emergency services is one area in industry you hear little of mass redundancies or whatever, they are all really jobs for life, which is so rare nowadays lol

craydon

Hey guys, all quiet here just been noseying now and again. Just a thought though, we are all focusing on the merit list but based on friends who applied for, were successful and now work for the psni - one of them got in way before the other, like a few courses before because her vetting cleared first and she was a good 100 or so behind the fella on the merit list! I know the psni recruited numbers on a larger scale in the last recruitment process but I'm thinking that this won't be too different and I don't know if they'll hold positions open for those higher up the merit list simply until the vetting comes through ok, I think it may be a case of whoever has passed medical and cleared vetting will be offered a position first albeit they are within the amount of new recruits needed that is! Does that make sense?! Lol it does in my head anyway haha. This has been such a long process I can't wait for this break away in a few weeks to clear the head lol. Applied for a few other things too and not sure what I'd do if I was successful there as I really want this.

Also what's everyone's thoughts on the pay? I thought it looked good enough until I seem a breakdown earlier in this thread that it'll take like 5 years to reach the maximum pay? Didn't think it'd be as long as that, for some reason I thought it was on passing training and probation, but even the starting salary is a lot better than what I get now lol

ShaneW1986

Hey folks one of the main reasons I declined my job offer last year was due to reading a debate held by the Northern Ireland Assemble and the Prison Officers' Association, declaring that there were going to be no promotional prospects for anyone going into the prison service and that there was no way that a new officer could hope to ever achieve over £27,000 a year and that would take at least 9 years to achieve! Now unfortunately I am unable to find that debate but there is a more recent one that I haven't really looked so I am not going to make any presumptions, just thought that some of you might be interested in it.

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Assembly-Business/Official-Report/Committee-Minutes-of-Evidence/Session-2012-2013/June-2013/Prison-Reform-Programme-Prison-Officers-Association-Briefing/

Also just a word of advice as I live in a border county. Anyone applying for this job should keep that information to themselves and family this is still a organisation that is heavily despised by the Republicans only last year a officer was sot dead as he traveled on the motorway! It is not a safe job in the prison or out of the prison and this is something you must seriously consider not only for yourself but also how it will affect your family if people discover your new profession!

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1101/343864-man-shot-dead-in-co-armagh/

I don't mean to put anyone off that is genuinely interested in this career I am just saying give it some serious thought.

Best of luck with the process and stay safe everyone.

HighburyLad

Cheers Shane, I'm gonna speak for myself, unfortunately yeah I do remember the news of last year of Officer Blacks death, and your right the pay isn't the same, this type of job as well as the PSNI unfortunately carries serious risks, with dissident republican activity at an all time high despite what others may say, that is a fact, 30 odd prison officers have been killed since the 60's and 300 odd police officers have been killed and that excludes those mamed in failed attempts at their lives, these jobs are not for everybody, the pay is under review, I posted a few posts back the most recent pay review which since last years has went up and includes an NI environmental allowance, which is about another 3 grand on top, the same as the PSNI which has a max of 33 grand as a constable, were as RUC constables would cap out at 50 odd grand, that's why you see so many old constables, old RUC who earn more than their chief inspectors and even supers lol, just a fact of life, the economy has fallen out of its ass and the younger generation have to pay for it.

However that being said if your like me who really does want to embody something more than a retail outlet or work for a finance firm and rather than line the pockets of some big wig, and instead feel certain pride for what you do as a career, offering a service to the public, then killings of prison officers and police officers is almost something that shouldn't deter you, if so then let those who wanted to achieve nothing but murder, win, because if everybody stopped going for these jobs, then the next people who could be killed could be innocent civilians, people gave their life for their work, so everybody else can gleefully continue their own lives, unaware of their sacrifices, and so the wheel goes round, they're thankless jobs, I know what Shane's saying, and he's right too, because hopefully this will ween out those apprehensive about the job, you either want it or you don't there is no in between because if your in the grey you'll end up a couple years down the line looking for something else, that's my 2 cents on the matter, and I could be talking a load of crap, apologies if I am but it's how I feel anyway about it all lol

Cubacuba

Well put Highbury and my thoughts exactly.

Where did you get details of the pay review?

craydon

Well said highbury. A family member of mine was murdered due to his job but thats all i can say as i dont want to be identified, and it makes me want to have this type of career even more, for the pride of it. It's good that people aren't being deterred due to the risk involved and "they" aren't winning.
Thanks for the info shane

Ted777

Well said but my partner is a prison officer and I am we'll aware of the risks but he fully supports me in my decision to do this and btw he loves his job

chantelle101

Ill b honest guys. I really want this job but am definitely worried about it too. I don't want to live in fear if u know what I'm saying. I think it's natural to feel abit apprehensive...dare I say it especially as a female working In potentially an all male prison. I'm not so worried about inside but my outside life. Hopefully some of u here can see what I'm saying. It's not that I don't think I'm cut out for it but I couldn't say I don't have any concerns.

Aoine

Hi folks, has anyone heard anything back since submitting the opticians report, initial vetting form etc? I keep checking my email for the link for the in depth vetting which apparently takes about 2 hrs to complete but as yet have heard nothing?? Hoping they haven't taken my email address down wrong or something :-(

Ted777

Hey guys hope you are all well ! Has anyone got a date for the medical yet ?

holly1984

Hi all. Been waiting "patiently"for any kind of update or news back from prison service. Found this thread last night so I decided to give them a call this morning. Have been told I'm number 138 down the list and that they will be calling me for a medical in due course. Also the email I'm waiting for with regards to the CTC clearance should be here in the next 10 days apparently or I've been told to call back and they will get me registered. It's definitely a very frustrating process, plus I've just been made redundant from my current job so am even more keen to get in and get started, if I'm successful!!

HighburyLad

Hi holly, did you apply for all roles offered as in custody officer and PCO? or just the custody officer role?

holly1984

Hey I applied for 35hr & 20 hr PCO posts and Custody officer post as well. Lady on the phone said they were dealing with the 40hr PCO posts first as they are the ones they are in in greatest need of at the minute!

HighburyLad

holly1984 wrote: »

Hey I applied for 35hr & 20 hr PCO posts and Custody officer post as well. Lady on the phone said they were dealing with the 40hr PCO posts first as they are the ones they are in in greatest need of at the minute!

Yeah was told that too, my merits below 60 and I only applied for custody officer, and have to wait til they get numbers for the custody officer, sucks lol was hoping you had picked custody officer only lol good luck anyway

Cubacuba

HighburyLad wrote: »

Yeah was told that too, my merits below 60 and I only applied for custody officer, and have to wait til they get numbers for the custody officer, sucks lol was hoping you had picked custody officer only lol good luck anyway

Me too. Was hoping we'd have had a further update by now. Looks like we're in for a long wait.