OSG-PO/YJW Fast Track

Register Your Interest – INTERNAL TO HMPPS

It is now more straightforward than ever to apply to become a prison officer or youth justice worker and progress your career via the fast track scheme exclusively for our OSGs. 

We will be asking for applications again in February so register your interest now to receive a series of emails about the scheme and how to prepare for the assessments.

You will be unable to register for Hatfield, North Sea Camp, Stafford, Sudbury and Thorn Cross because they do not wish to be included as open to receiving successful candidates on this occasion.

Male candidates must not register for Downview, New Hall and Send because an occupational requirement exception under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 is in place for these establishments at the current time.

The eligibility criteria for the scheme are below.

Any questions need to be directed to: PrisonsResourcing-Projects@justice.gov.uk

Eligibility criteria

To be able to apply for the fast track scheme, you must:

• be a directly employed OSG, appointed through open and fair competition;
• have passed your six-month probation period; and
• not be subject to any formal procedures which remove you from the avenue of promotion or having direct prisoner supervision.

If you are employed on a fixed term contract basis, then you must have completed six months effective service and also been appointed through open and fair competition.

In addition, as per external prison officer recruitment, you will be ineligible to apply if you have received an unsuccessful result at the online assessment centre within the last six months.

To become a prison officer or youth justice worker, you will need to:

• be at least 18 years old;
• have the right to work in the UK;
• be reasonably fit and able to pass our fitness test;
• have good eyesight in both eyes (both with and without corrective lenses);
• have a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids); and
• be able to speak with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh.

To work in a high security prison (Category A) you must have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

If applying for a youth justice worker role, you also need to show you have the skills to work with children and young people.