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Prison instructor

Alternative titles for this job include Instructional officer

Prison instructors teach prisoners new skills to help them find work after their release.

Average salary (a year)

£27,000 Starter

to

£32,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 39

You could work

between 8am and 6pm

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • applying directly

College

You'll need, or be prepared to work towards, a level 3 work-related qualification in your subject area or trade.

You may also find it useful to do qualifications in assessment, like the Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement.

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths

More Information

Direct Application

You could apply directly if you have experience and qualifications in the vocational area you want to teach, along with experience of supervising others.

You will usually need to do a Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement. Employers will sometimes pay for this.

More Information

Career tips

You can use the HM Prison & Probation Service online career matching tool to explore the range of careers available.

Further information

Find out more about working for HM Prison & Probation Service and about roles in prison education, skills and work.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • the ability to teach learners how to do something
  • the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • customer service skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

You will also need to meet HM Prison & Probation Service entry requirements, which include nationality and security checks.

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a prison instructor, you could:

  • act as a role model for prisoners
  • introduce new prisoners to the workshop health and safety rules
  • update prisoners' learning and attendance records
  • support prisoners working towards qualifications
  • monitor discipline and behaviour
  • keep the workshop area and tools safe and in working order
  • maintain stocks of equipment and materials

Working environment

You could work in a prison or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and physically and emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a learning and skills manager, employment adviser or wider general manager within the prison service.

You could specialise in one type of training, such as:

  • construction skills, like joinery or bricklaying
  • horticulture
  • vehicle maintenance

You could also work in other areas of training or instructing.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

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  • Start date: 15 September 2025
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