Industry insights on skills needs
According to the Corrections IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast, the top priority skills in this sector are:
- Cultural competence
- Health/safety
- Security
- Digital literacy
- Trauma informed care.
In addition, the top generic skills for the sector as identified in the Corrections IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast include:
- Communication / Virtual collaboration / Social intelligence
- Design mindset / Thinking critically / System thinking / Solving problems
- Managerial / Leadership
- Learning agility / Information literacy / Intellectual autonomy and self-management (adaptability)
- Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) (Foundation skills).
According to job vacancy data, the top generic skills in demand in this sector are communication skills and planning, while the top two occupations in demand are Prison Officers and Psychologists, with the Geo Group Australia and New South Wales Government identified as the top employers.
In an online survey of stakeholders conducted by AIS on behalf of the Corrections IRC (published in the Corrections IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast), the top occupations in demand, as identified by respondents who had experienced a skills shortage in the 12 months prior to 2019, were:
- Corrections Officers
- Correctional Management
- Youth Workers (Justice and Custodial Officers)
- Clinicians
- Case Managers.
The main reasons cited by employers for the above mentioned in demand occupations, included:
- Wages / salaries considered too low
- Unattractive job / poor industry image
- Geographic location of the vacancy
- Competition from other organisations
- Ageing workforce / current staff retiring.
A report on the Correctional Services workforce by the South Australian Training and Skills Commission's Industry Skills Councils identified training and skills needs relating to critical thinking, problem solving, emotional intelligence, victim awareness, and advanced relationship management skills. This report also reflected on the difficulties of staffing correctional facilities in regional South Australia. However it also notes that, although attracting new recruits is difficult, the industry does experience low staff turnover rates.
The key industry issues identified in the Corrections IRC’s 2020 Skills Forecast relate to factors associated with mental illness and the mental health of the prison population. This is significant as 40% of the prison population have a mental health condition, and 87% of young people in custody have a past or present psychological disorder. As the prison population increases each year, approaches are needed to minimise the likelihood of recidivism. The likelihood of incarceration and re-offending has been closely linked to traumatic events, such as childhood physical and/or sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness and mental health issues. In order to make positive impacts on offenders and reduce the chances of recidivism, a trauma-informed approach that is holistic and culturally appropriate can have a positive influence on this group. Ensuring the Corrections workforce is equipped with specialised skills to understand cognitively impaired inmates’ patterns of behaviour and thoughts gives them the tools needed to de-escalate stressful situations and engage effectively with inmates.
The significance of mental health and resilience for the Corrections workforce was also highlighted in the Corrections IRC’s 2021 Industry Outlook. Prisons across Australia ceased all external visits for several months to reduce the risk of infection during COVID-19. It was acknowledged that staff rarely receive formal/accredited training relating to looking after their own mental health and building resilience to handle stressful situations such as the pandemic. This has led to the IRC proposing the development of a Resilience/Mental Health Skill Set to support the Corrections workforce in building resilience to better handle high levels of stress over prolonged periods of time.
Industry issues relating to the mental welfare and rehabilitation of the prison population were explored in greater detail in the Corrections IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast, with the following points discussed:
- Prison models are transitioning from institutional reform to an increased focus on rehabilitative services. This means the sector workforce needs more skilled staff who can offer education and training programs aimed at improved offenders’ physical and mental welfare.
- A recent study in Australia indicated that offenders who participate in VET programs were twice as likely to remain offence-free five years after their release. Enhancing the soft skills of corrections staff so they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to encourage and direct offenders towards appropriate VET programs will have the lasting effect of providing more opportunities for successful reintegration into society, as well as increased employment prospects for offenders.
- In addition, the soft skills of critical thinking, leadership, and emotional intelligence have been highlighted as being in high demand among corrections staff due to the wide range of people they interact with, often in high-tension situations. Cognitive skills, coupled with emotional intelligence, enable workers to build rapport and sympathy with offenders, allowing for effective communication and the resolution or de-escalation of conflicts.
- ICT and digital literacy skills are required to support the use of ICT in some correctional facilities where email and videoconferencing are used for legal proceedings, family visitation, and medical consultations. In addition, ICT (particularly through gaming technology) has been identified as benefiting rehabilitation programs through cognitive skills training as well as supporting literacy, numeracy and life skills.
Additionally, Effective Means of Teaching and Developing Emotional Intelligence in the Corrections Industry found the Corrections workforce needs to rely on individual cognitive skills and emotional intelligence to build rapport and sympathy with offenders in order to communicate effectively and resolve or de-escalate conflicts. The report states that training programs in emotional intelligence are fundamental to facilitate Corrective Officers in undertaking their roles effectively as the corrections industry moves from an institutional to rehabilitative model.
