Cover Instructor/Trainer in Middlesbrough

Variety. Purpose. Impact. Make every day count. Are you adaptable, hands-on and confident working with people? We're looking for a Prison Industries Cover Instructor to provide essential support across a range of prison workshops, stepping in to keep purposeful activity running when permanent instructors are unavailable. This is a varied role where no two days are necessarily the same. You'll work across different environments including manufacturing, cleaning, waste management, horticulture, sewing, upcycling and other prison industries, using your skills and adaptability to keep learners engaged, productive and developing.

What you'll be doing:

• Provide cover across a variety of prison workshops during periods of sickness, annual leave or other planned and unplanned absence.
• Deliver practical, hands-on instruction and support prisoners to complete planned workshop activities.
• Adapt quickly to different industries, equipment, processes and working environments.
• Assess individual needs and provide appropriate guidance and support to help prisoners develop their skills.
• Supervise and motivate prisoners, maintaining a safe, positive and productive workshop environment.
• Ensure production targets, quality standards and workshop schedules are maintained.
• Work closely with Workshop Instructors and Managers to ensure smooth handovers and continuity of activity.
• Collaborate with prison staff, Work & Skills Coaches and case managers to support prisoner development and rehabilitation.
• Maintain accurate attendance records, shift reports, quality checks and other workshop documentation.
• Provide relevant feedback on prisoner progress to support sentence planning, parole and wider case management.
• Maintain strict control and accountability of tools, equipment and materials in line with prison security requirements.
• Complete and contribute to risk assessments and ensure all health & safety procedures are followed.
• Communicate effectively with operational and security teams, including via radio, and report incidents appropriately.
• Carry out Level A and Level B searches at the end of sessions in line with prison procedures.

Why this role matters:

This isn't a traditional "cover" role. You'll be a key part of keeping purposeful activity running, ensuring prisoners continue to develop practical skills and make positive use of their time, even when their usual instructor isn't available. You'll have the opportunity to work across a wide range of industries, gain experience in different workshop environments and build strong relationships with colleagues and learners across the prison. It's a role that requires flexibility, confidence and initiative and offers plenty of variety in return.

What we're looking for:

• Experience working in a practical, vocational, manufacturing or workshop environment.
• The ability to quickly learn new processes, equipment and working practices.
• Experience supervising, coaching or supporting others.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• A good understanding of health & safety and risk assessment.
• The ability to remain calm, professional and confident in challenging situations.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• A genuine interest in helping people develop practical skills and make positive progress.
• Experience working within a prison, custodial, education or other secure environment would be advantageous, but isn’t essential.

Join us and make a difference. If you're looking for a varied role where you can use your practical skills to support rehabilitation, learning and employment, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and help keep skills, opportunities and brighter futures moving forward.