For Cessnock’s Shenais Morgan, her change in vocation could not be more extreme.
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The 21-year-old has made the transition from dental nurse to Corrective Services Officer and she couldn’t be happier.
Ms Morgan is one of the Hunter’s first 24 graduates from the new training centre at Tomago.
Like Ms Morgan the recruits come from a variety of backgrounds.
“Being a correctional officer provided a career path,” she said.
“I thought I would give it a go and I was stoked to get the opportunity,” she said.
“The training facility was very good and the staff were very responsive and approachable. We have been given a lot of tips and feedback to improve ourselves for the job.”
Former machine operator Ryan Mackenzie, 22, from Toronto, applied for the role after he heard great stories from a family member who works as a correctional officer.
“Before I started training, I thought it would be about locking up people but there is so much more to the job including delivering case-management and programs,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“I would 100 per cent suggest the job to others down the track.”
The Certificate III in Correctional Practice includes lessons in law and procedure, online learning and assessment, simulated scenario assessment and correctional centre placement.
Training courses are also held at the Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy in Sydney.
A review of detention centres several years ago showed they were inefficient and expensive to run at a cost of $357 per inmate a day as opposed to $194 a day for a minimum security prisoner, Mr Severin said.
Tomago in particular, was poorly located due to its lack of public transport and distance to major centres and services.
Tomago periodic detention centre was opened in the 1970s to house prisoners serving short sentences. Most served their sentences on weekends allowing them to work and live with their families during the week.
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