Northern Ireland prison service (now recruiting))

BIGD85

Hi folks, has anyone made contact with the recruitment team lately for an update? Im planning on giving them a call next week.

HighburyLad

BIGD85 wrote: »

Hi folks, has anyone made contact with the recruitment team lately for an update? Im planning on giving them a call next week.

I was going to do the same D

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25670407

I'm hoping that now this has been solved they will take on more recruits for the CO role, I've been told by a family member that a good number have left the prison service over the past 12 months that were recruited to replace those leaving under the early retirement scheme, so they are in need of officers! Only thing is this extra payment equates to an additional 1.5 million pounds and will be taken out of the current budget for the prison service, what effect this will have on taking on extra CO's who knows, but I'm thinking maybe they would start taking more CO's on come April? start of the new financial year? could be wrong, but hope it's the latest April, anybody that heard anything or whatever keep us posted

BIGD85

I was thinking April for the same reasons as yourself Highburylad, I will give them a call on Monday and update with any information i receive.

gigity gigity

The wage range described is horrendous, how can they even justify putting that much of a gap between potential recruits and their co-workers?

HighburyLad

gigity gigity wrote: »

The wage range described is horrendous, how can they even justify putting that much of a gap between potential recruits and their co-workers?

Your right mate, but bare in mind those on the 38k started of not far off were most will be starting on, they had a 10 year incremental payment setup similar to police officers etc, there just seems to be now a few years and then the only way of moving forward pay wise is through promotion, but it is messed up, I think they will eventually have to address pay once again sometime in the near future, you won't be able to have an experienced work force if they don't so many will move on I would say, they have taken advantage of the economy however now that it's picking up, I don't think they will have the luxury of quality candidates as they have had over the past few years, my thoughts anyway

gigity gigity

Agreed, they wouldnt hold on to the new people, dont get me wrong, I know everyone has to start at the bottom but in 6 years or whatever if I was still on 20k less than the guy sitting next to me I would be raging, not at him, just the system! but sure I havent been offered a job anyway so no point complaining!

gigity gigity

Although i do think there will be plenty of room for promotion, unlike the PSNI, i think they are pretty much full and everyone is looking a promotion!

HighburyLad

gigity gigity wrote: »

Although i do think there will be plenty of room for promotion, unlike the PSNI, i think they are pretty much full and everyone is looking a promotion!

That's the only reason I would consider a full length career within the NIPS, there will be room for promotion, due to so many taking the early retirement scheme, I'm pretty certain that maybe this will be the last form of recruitment for a very long time, unless serious numbers fell within the service, this wait has been extremely excruciating lol

HighburyLad

Okay folks spoke to the recruitment line told me phone back in a month, they said that hopefully by then things should have moved on, they did take my name and applicant number etc, so I would maybe ring just in case it sorta brings your name up to the forefront, I read on this forum here within the previous recruitment campaign that some swore if they had not consistently phoned they wouldn't have got a call lol, so I'm just going to regularly phone when told to all is not lost yet lol

BIGD85

I also tried calling this afternoon but was unable to get through, I will call again tomorrow.

HighburyLad

BIGD85 wrote: »

I also tried calling this afternoon but was unable to get through, I will call again tomorrow.

Let us know D what they say, hopefully they say the same as they said to me, though seems to be varied sometimes lol

Weestones

Anyone have the number to the recruitment dept? Might ask for wee update myself:)

Little Loki

Hi everyone, have not posted since I got the CPO job in previous campaign. As u know the courts group has been brought in first and custody officer have not been brought in yet. There are quite a few who have left the job since the previous recruitment drive and I would be fairly certain that if u are on the list u will get in. Its just a matter of when. I didn't think I would get in and got a call out of nowhere and I didn't ring the recruitment branch more than once so I'd guess this will have no bearinv when u are contacted. In my opinion the custody officer role is the more interesting job and will have better opportunities to progress in the future but not at the moment so is worth the wait. Nothing wrong with the court escort group and I would like to give it a go sometime (which u can as a custody officer) but wouldn't like to do it forever. You can't go as easily though from court escort to CPO as u need more training. Hope this alleviates some anxieties and hope to meet u soon.

HighburyLad

Little Loki wrote: »

Hi everyone, have not posted since I got the CPO job in previous campaign. As u know the courts group has been brought in first and custody officer have not been brought in yet. There are quite a few who have left the job since the previous recruitment drive and I would be fairly certain that if u are on the list u will get in. Its just a matter of when. I didn't think I would get in and got a call out of nowhere and I didn't ring the recruitment branch more than once so I'd guess this will have no bearinv when u are contacted. In my opinion the custody officer role is the more interesting job and will have better opportunities to progress in the future but not at the moment so is worth the wait. Nothing wrong with the court escort group and I would like to give it a go sometime (which u can as a custody officer) but wouldn't like to do it forever. You can't go as easily though from court escort to CPO as u need more training. Hope this alleviates some anxieties and hope to meet u soon.

Awesome! Thank you Loki, I've been told this too, about so many leaving who got in the previous campaign also from a relative and friend who are both in the job, and this makes me feel a lot more better, your post, so thank you, a few of us who have kept this thread alive have been waiting since we last heard in August, as we only ticked for the CPO position, some have obviously progressed through to the PCO position, but your post has gave me and I'm sure others some reassurance!! Can I ask what's the shift patterns like etc? And if you have a choice in which prison you will be stationed, I heard that most boots need to be filled at Maghaberry? And also do you know why so many left? a friend said a lot that had left were maybe older applicants compared to some that are younger? that's what I was told anyway, sorry for the overload with questioning and thanks again

Laura136

Little Loki wrote: »

Hi everyone, have not posted since I got the CPO job in previous campaign. As u know the courts group has been brought in first and custody officer have not been brought in yet. There are quite a few who have left the job since the previous recruitment drive and I would be fairly certain that if u are on the list u will get in. Its just a matter of when. I didn't think I would get in and got a call out of nowhere and I didn't ring the recruitment branch more than once so I'd guess this will have no bearinv when u are contacted. In my opinion the custody officer role is the more interesting job and will have better opportunities to progress in the future but not at the moment so is worth the wait. Nothing wrong with the court escort group and I would like to give it a go sometime (which u can as a custody officer) but wouldn't like to do it forever. You can't go as easily though from court escort to CPO as u need more training. Hope this alleviates some anxieties and hope to meet u soon.

Thanks for this post Little Loki, gives us all a bit of hope! So keen on this job!! If you dont mind me asking is there many other woman COs?

BIGD85

I called the recruitment team yesterday and i was told to call back next month, 35 hr CPO jobs are still being filled and another 2 or 3 intakes are expected in the coming weeks, however, still no word on the CO jobs, my guess is April when further funding is available. I'm mid 200's on the merit list and have completed security clearance and medical but still not certain ill even get offered a job, fingers crossed everyone :-)

HighburyLad

BIGD85 wrote: »

I called the recruitment team yesterday and i was told to call back next month, 35 hr CPO jobs are still being filled and another 2 or 3 intakes are expected in the coming weeks, however, still no word on the CO jobs, my guess is April when further funding is available. I'm mid 200's on the merit list and have completed security clearance and medical but still not certain ill even get offered a job, fingers crossed everyone :-)

Awesome D, they told me to ring back too, hopefully it's good news I'm starting to feel a wee bit more confident though touch wood not to jinx anything

gman12

Keep the chins up guys, Got the call today so things are starting to move!

chantelle101

gman12 wrote: »

Keep the chins up guys, Got the call today so things are starting to move!

Great g man. Is that for the 35 hour post?

gman12

chantelle101 wrote: »

Great g man. Is that for the 35 hour post?

Yea it's a 35 hr post

Weestones

gman12 wrote: »

Yea it's a 35 hr post

Congrats pal, good luck! Was it for the pco or co role? And wat merit number where you?

gman12

Weestones wrote: »

Congrats pal, good luck! Was it for the pco or co role? And wat merit number where you?

Cheers, It was for the PCO role. I was late 160's

craydon

Hey guys!
I'm still here lol started a new job a while back but hearts not in it at all.

Few questions - has anyone any idea on the turnaround time from receiving a medical appointment and the actual date of the medical? Is it all of a sudden and short notice?

Also we have booked a hol for the end of summer so hoping that if all goes well it won't be a problem!

Beginning to wish I'd applied for pco too lol...

HighburyLad

craydon wrote: »

Hey guys!
I'm still here lol started a new job a while back but hearts not in it at all.

Few questions - has anyone any idea on the turnaround time from receiving a medical appointment and the actual date of the medical? Is it all of a sudden and short notice?

Also we have booked a hol for the end of summer so hoping that if all goes well it won't be a problem!

Beginning to wish I'd applied for pco too lol...

Hi Craydon! Wish I knew the turn around times too, I think it will vary going by what I've read from other boardees, I'm pretty certain if they want it to be quick they'll get medicals and what not done pretty quick, the merit list is valid until July 2014 so I'm assuming they will get the ball rolling at some point soon, especially if there is boardees who are now in the job from the previous campaign as CO's and are saying a good number have left the job since starting it.

So you can only think that they were going to recruit anyway and also in that time frame more have left so I'm hoping they will be taking on a fairly substantially number for the CO role maybe more than the had expected too. I was jut thinking the recruitment this time started in April 2013 I mean it's been 9 months from start til now that's a heck of a long time, I really hope for all of us that have been told to wait, it does pay off. I think you'll be okay holiday wise so I wouldn't fret, you've booked way before in advance so I'm pretty certain you'll be good! hopefully you'll be done and dusted and out of Millisle by then fingers crossed for all of us, I'll be phoning sometime in February to get some feedback and hopefully, hopefully we'll all be a bit wiser.

chantelle101

HighburyLad wrote: »

Hi Craydon! Wish I knew the turn around times too, I think it will vary going by what I've read from other boardees, I'm pretty certain if they want it to be quick they'll get medicals and what not done pretty quick, the merit list is valid until July 2014 so I'm assuming they will get the ball rolling at some point soon, especially if there is boardees who are now in the job from the previous campaign as CO's and are saying a good number have left the job since starting it.

So you can only think that they were going to recruit anyway and also in that time frame more have left so I'm hoping they will be taking on a fairly substantially number for the CO role maybe more than the had expected too. I was jut thinking the recruitment this time started in April 2013 I mean it's been 9 months from start til now that's a heck of a long time, I really hope for all of us that have been told to wait, it does pay off. I think you'll be okay holiday wise so I wouldn't fret, you've booked way before in advance so I'm pretty certain you'll be good! hopefully you'll be done and dusted and out of Millisle by then fingers crossed for all of us, I'll be phoning sometime in February to get some feedback and hopefully, hopefully we'll all be a bit wiser.

Literally just off the phone to them. They said they cannot confirm if recruitment for co role will b going ahead or not but they can confirm the pool is open until july. What?????? So I said they may not b taking any on then and she said they may or may not be. Surely they need more??? Can someone else please phone and ask

HighburyLad

chantelle101 wrote: »

Literally just off the phone to them. They said they cannot confirm if recruitment for co role will b going ahead or not but they can confirm the pool is open until july. What?????? So I said they may not b taking any on then and she said they may or may not be. Surely they need more??? Can someone else please phone and ask

Damn! Were you speaking to a lady Chantelle on the phone, I've phoned before and spoke to various people a fella who was sound and pretty helpful, a younger lady who again wasn't helpful but nice and there is one lady who really doesn't like it when I phone and inquire. If this was the case this would be a form of falsly advertising for a job?

chantelle101

HighburyLad wrote: »

Damn! Were you speaking to a lady Chantelle on the phone, I've phoned before and spoke to various people a fella who was sound and pretty helpful, a younger lady who again wasn't helpful but nice and there is one lady who really doesn't like it when I phone and inquire. If this was the case this would be a form of falsly advertising for a job?

Yes older lady.pretty sharp lol. She said they hadn't any information to confirm whether they would or wouldn't b recruiting. ..but did sound to me like not recruiting cud b an option...or she was just saying that dismissively. Ughhh!! Give them a ring and see what u get....

HighburyLad

chantelle101 wrote: »

Yes older lady.pretty sharp lol. She said they hadn't any information to confirm whether they would or wouldn't b recruiting. ..but did sound to me like not recruiting cud b an option...or she was just saying that dismissively. Ughhh!! Give them a ring and see what u get....

Okay so I rang there and I'm pretty certain I got the same lady, and she said the same thing and didn't seem to be impressed with me ringing, I thought that's why those guys were there lol, though I did get sharp with her, she said we don't know if we will be recruiting for CO's and I said so why advertise for the role in main media outlets such as the newspapers and what not, without any real intentions from the get go, to take on people, and I said that's kinda leading people on lol, I sorta got annoyed, wasn't rude just frustrated, which she said to phone back next month

Cubacuba

chantelle101 wrote: »

Yes older lady.pretty sharp lol. She said they hadn't any information to confirm whether they would or wouldn't b recruiting. ..but did sound to me like not recruiting cud b an option...or she was just saying that dismissively. Ughhh!! Give them a ring and see what u get....

This is just getting ridiculous now considering we first applied back in April.
What a complete waste of time. I have no faith that we'll be any further on in July when the merit list expires.

I can't understand why they'd waste time and effort creating a candidate pool but not know when or even if they are going to use it.

chantelle101

Cubacuba wrote: »

This is just getting ridiculous now considering we first applied back in April.
What a complete waste of time. I have no faith that we'll be any further on in July when the merit list expires.

I can't understand why they'd waste time and effort creating a candidate pool but not know when or even if they are going to use it.

I had my heart set on this job. So annoying. Highbury mayb ur uncle could shed some light nxt time ur speaking to him