Trainee Probation Officer Programme in Newton Aycliffe

Overview

HM Prison and Probation Service – Trainee Probation Officer Programme

Aycliffe

Salary: £26,475 – £35,130 (training salary during training; move to £35,130 once in a qualified probation officer role). London weighting allowance of £4,249 is additional to these salaries.

Contract: Permanent • Full time

New role: NEW

Role summary

Trainee Probation Officer Programme – An extraordinary job. You’ll support offenders to get back on track and turn their lives around, working with them in the community, in prisons and in courts. You’ll gain a professional qualification with the organisation’s support, along with a competitive salary, generous leave and comprehensive training.

What the role involves

• Work as a probation services officer while you earn your qualification. Visiting prisons and attending courts, you’ll make interventions with offenders to help them understand their behaviour and want to change it.
• Help individuals realise their potential to build a more positive future and reduce the chance they will reoffend.
• Take pride in helping to make communities safer.
• Develop knowledge and skills through a mix of theory and practical training; work with victims of crime, colleagues across the criminal justice system, charities and the wider community.
• Learn from diverse situations every day.
• After qualification, you’ll be able to apply to become a probation officer with opportunities to continue developing through structured career paths.

Skills and experience

We welcome applicants from varied backgrounds. You’ll need emotional intelligence, resilience and the ability to stay calm under pressure, with the ability to build rapport quickly and de-escalate potentially volatile situations. You should be comfortable self-managing and have a passion for and commitment to your work. Excellent report-writing skills are essential. Some experience of working with people who have demonstrated challenging behaviour is required, whether paid or voluntary — it should involve behaviours we see from offenders.

What you need to apply

To apply, you’ll need a recognised Level 3 qualification or above (for example A level, Access to Higher Education Diploma, Advanced Apprenticeship, Applied General or AS level). It doesn’t matter what subject your Level 3 qualification is in.

We offer different learning programmes depending on your qualification level, ranging from 15 months for graduates with a Level 5 qualification to 27 months for the non-graduate programme.

If your application is successful, we’ll assess your previous education to offer you the correct programme length: 15, 21 or 27 months.

What we offer

You’ll receive a competitive salary and benefits package, including enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme. Under the scheme you would contribute around 6.5% of your pay, with employer contributions of around 29.6%. You’ll be part of a supportive, diverse and friendly team environment, with guidance from your divisional training manager, line manager and practice tutor throughout your studies.