Careers in

Education, employment and trades

Employment and education are important in helping people to live an offence-free life.

We have a range of different roles at Corrections that support people to further their education and gain employment.

Roles

Instructor

Instructors mentor people in prison to gain new qualifications and skills, to improve their chances of finding employment on release from prison

Education

Our education tutors support people in prison to continue on their education journey.

We also have librarians based in our prisons, who play a key role in improving literacy and supporting rehabilitation.

Employment support

Some of our roles specifically help people to gain employment, for example Release to Work brokers and Employment and Training consultants.

“If we do our job, we make the community not only a safer place, but also a place the people we manage want to fit in to. I’m proud of the breakthroughs we make.”

Graham - Principal Instructor

Recent stories

Recognising our librarians

As the guardians of access to books and knowledge, Corrections’ librarians open new worlds to people in prison in an often quiet, but positively powerful, way.

What does it take to run a kitchen inside a prison?

Gareth, a catering instructor from Invercargill Prison, shares some insights into his role preparing meals for the site, and passing his skills on to people in prison.

Laying the foundations for participation

The day begins at 8am in the Rolleston Prison Construction Yard, when around 60 men leave their prison units, put on their hardhats, pick up their tools and get to…

Trades programme opens the door for employment

Eight people serving community sentences in Tokoroa graduated from a four-week trades programme designed to give practical training, a recognised qualification, and increased likelihood of employment.

Are you a good fit?

You could already be ready for a career with our education, employment & trade teams. Here are some of the key skills and attributes we look for.

Supportive

Want to help others grow their skills

Communicator

Able to relate to diverse groups of people

Dependable

Dependable, honest and a team player

Integrity

High integrity and resilience

Why choose us?

  • Our whānau support
  • A strong start
  • Career progression

Our teams are based on developing supportive and nurturing relationships. Outside of your direct team, there are health & safety advocates, welfare officers, helplines and external partners so you're never short of awhi, care, and support.

To get you off to a good start you'll join with other new staff from around the country beginning their careers with Corrections. The Ara Tika programme is delivered from Upper Hutt at Corrections’ National Learning Centre and is an opportunity for you to learn core skills, develop a network of peers and be welcomed to the whānau. We'll arrange and pay for travel, accommodation, and meals while you're away from home.

After your initial training, there are opportunities to progress up through the ranks into more senior or specialised roles. Given the scale of our organisation, there's also ample ability to move into service development projects at our regional or national offices to shape our mahi.

Apply now, change tomorrow

View our current vacancies and apply now.

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