Careers
To successfully carry out its mission, the Department offers a wide variety of career opportunities in both administrative and operational areas. We provide our employees with high quality training, a supportive employment environment, career development opportunities and the chance to make a difference in our society.
In addition to correctional and community officers, the Department employs staff from a wide range of vocations and disciplines, including psychology, welfare, teaching, administration, management, trades, health, legal, information technology and media. The information contained on this page provides detailed information regarding career opportunities within the Department and how to apply.
- Indigenous
- Correctional Officer
- Probation and Parole Officer
- Offender Services and Programs
- Trade Positions (Overseers)
- Executive, Administration and Support Staff
- Training and Development
- Vacancies
Indigenous
The NSW Department of Corrective Services is committed to the employment of a greater percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all areas and at all levels of the Department. From initial employment as base-grade Correctional Officers, (Trade) Overseers, Probation and Parole Officers, Inmate Services and Programs and Administrative staff - Departmental training and development will prepare Aboriginal staff for middle and senior management positions.
Correctional Officer
Correctional Officers are active participants in the Department’s management of inmates, working closely with other staff in the organisation, including health workers, probation and parole officers and those who oversee inmates working in the Department’s industries.
Correctional Officers must have:
- integrity,
- courage,
- commitment,
- good communication skills, be
- non-judgemental
- able to apply rules and regulations fairly and consistently, and
- deal effectively with people in all types of situations.
- be fit and healthy.
Applicants must sit for suitability assessments. If selected, you are paid whilst undertaking intensive training (and you may also be eligible for accommodation whilst training). You initially graduate with a Certificate III in Correctional Practice, but may elect to undertake further study. Ongoing training and development is provided and encouraged.
Probation and Parole Officer
The Community Offender role of the NSW Department of Corrective Services (DCS) is performed by Probation and Parole Officers and divided into two main areas:
- Provision of advice to the Courts and releasing authorities,
- Management of offenders within the community.
Probation and Parole Officers fulfil an important role within the criminal justice system by supervising, managing and providing assistance to offenders on conditional liberty and provide comprehensive information and advice to support judicial and other bodies in making sentencing and releasing decisions.
Probation and Parole Officers work in both institutions and within the community, and also visit the parolee’s residence. They play an important role in the case-management of offenders, working closely with other DCS staff in this regard, and with staff of other Government Departments and Community Organisations.
Probation and Parole Officers require demonstrated skills and experience in the disciplines of social work, psychology, mental health or other relevant human services.
If selected for the position of a Probation and Parole Officer, you will be required (whilst being paid) to complete an intensive eight-week training course at the Corrective Services Academy (and may also be eligible for accommodation whilst training at the Academy), followed by 44 weeks of workplace training.
Offender Services and Programs
The NSW Department of Corrective Services (DCS) employs staff to work directly and indirectly with offenders and their families, and to mediate between victims of crime and their families, and offenders.
Staff deliver programs and services which are primarily aimed at reducing re-offending, and for inmates, upon release, to be able to contribute to and take part in society in a positive way.
Staff working in the area of Programs contribute with other staff to the case management of inmates. They work intensively with offenders coming into gaol – assessing their needs as well as their reasons for committing crime.
The DCS requires staff who hold qualifications in the fields of Psychology and Education, and for staff with broad level experience and/or qualifications in fields such as:
- Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Disabilities
- Restorative Justice
- Family and Community Welfare
- Program Development
- Assessment
- Quality Assurance
- Indigenous Affairs
In addition, programs are run in conjunction with other agencies (such as NSW Health, Justice Health, Motor Accidents Authority, Roads and Traffic Authority and the NSW Drug Court) to effectively integrate offenders into the community.
Trade Positions (Overseers)
The Department operates commercial industries within Corrective Services (Corrective Services Industries (CSI)), providing inmates with the opportunity to gain vocational training, engage in Work Readiness Programs and improve their employment opportunities when released from custody.
The Department employs (Trade) Overseers, to manage its industries and train, supervise and coach inmates.
A wide variety of (Trade) Overseer positions are available across NSW, and include industries like agriculture, food services, building, furniture, general and ground maintenance, laundry, textiles, telemarketing, creative and community projects.
(Trade) Overseers must have the same personal qualities required of Correctional Officers, and, like Correctional Officers, must sit for suitability assessments and undertake Correctional Officer Training. If selected, you are paid whilst undertaking intensive training (and you may also be eligible for accommodation whilst training). You initially graduate with a Certificate III in Correctional Practice, but may elect to undertake further study.
The position of (Trade) Overseer allows those with trade or other industry experience to use their skills in a totally different and often rewarding workplace environment.
Executive, Administration and Support Staff
The support services within the NSW Department of Corrective Services (DCS) are diverse, providing employment opportunities in the areas of:
- Human Resources
- Staff Health
- Legal Services
- Information Management and Technology
- Training
- Finance and Asset Management
- Media and Publications
- Strategy and Planning
Employment opportunities arise in Head Office (Sydney), Regional Offices and Correctional Centres.
Staff working in the area of Administration contributes either directly or indirectly to the Department’s case management of its inmates, and the Department’s Mission of Managing offenders in a safe, secure and humane manner and reducing risks of re-offending, and it's Vision of Contributing to a safer community through quality correctional services.
Training and Development
The Department has its own training facility, the Brush Farm Academy for Learning and Staff Development, which trains new and existing officers. In addition, the Department offers a Career Development Program for staff identified as having the potential and desire to advance into leadership positions.
These Courses include:
- Management/Leadership (Diploma in Correctional Administration, Advanced Diploma in Correctional Management, Executive Management Program, Action Management Program)
- Custodial Training (Certificate Level III Correctional practice)
- Offender Programs and Community-Based Offender Management (Certificate IV in Correctional Practice (Community Corrections), Managing Young Adult Offenders, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Working with Domestic Violence Offenders, Dealing with Inmates with Mental health Issues)
- Employee Health and Safety (Occupational Health and Safety Training, First Aid Training, Healthy Lifestyles Education, Employee Assistance Program)
- Specialised Training (various weapon and chemical munitions courses, security and emergency procedures, hostage procedures, site risk management, tactical communications, defensive tactics)
- Up-Skilling (Assessor Development, Business Writing, Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment, Certificate IV in Business Administration, Certified Computer Training, Conflict Strategies, Customer Management, Frontline Management, Electronic Offender Management and E-case Management.
Bradley Morante, Occupational Health and Safety andInjury Management Co-ordinator. Bradley has worked with the DCS for 20 years, mainly in the capacity of Correctional Officer, and more recently as part of the DCS’s Administrative Staff.
Former Occupation: Butcher.
“A career with the DCS has been secure and interesting. It has enabled me to develop both professionally and personally. I’ve undertaken many courses with the DCS, and found the DCS to be extremely supportive.”
Vacancies
Vacant positions within the Department of Corrective Services are advertised in various media.
All vacant positions, with the exception of the recruitment of Correctional Officer or Trade (Overseer) positions are advertised, as a minimum, on the Government's employment website jobs.nsw.gov.au,
and in the Government Section of the Sydney Morning Herald.
Some Trade (Overseer) positions will not be advertised on the Government's employment website, however, as they may be included in a Trade (Overseer) Recruitment Campaign, which seeks to fill multiple positions.
Recruitment campaigns for Overseers, like recruit Correctional Officers, appear as display advertisements in the major press. They also appear on this site under their respective career categories.