Discover what it's like to work in our Justice division
Our Justice division is the largest across PeoplePlus. Around 900 colleagues work here at prisons, predominantly in the East and Middle of England, London and Scotland. PeoplePlus is the largest provider of prison education in the UK. Our education teams work face to face in 50 prisons across England (in the midlands, the east and London) and every prison in Scotland, helping people gain the skills, qualifications and confidence they need to find work and build a different future after release.
Alongside classroom and workshop teaching, our WayOut TV and Way2Learn services give people access to learning in their cells across more than 50 establishments. At HMP Millsike, the UK’s first all-electric prison, we deliver both the education and the industries provision.
Read more about our work here
You can also see and read some truly inspirational stories from the prisoners who we've helped here
And all our vacancies are here
Who we’re looking for
We employ people from a wide range of backgrounds. Some of our colleagues have worked in prisons before, some come from teaching, and many come from a trade such as plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying or motor mechanics and want to pass those skills on. You don’t need a formal teaching qualification for many of our roles, because we’ll support you to train and develop once you join.
What matters most is that you’re calm under pressure, treat people with compassion and respect, and want a job where you can see the difference you make.
The roles we recruit for
- Vocational tutors teach practical, trade-based skills such as construction, plumbing, painting and decorating, carpentry and motor mechanics.
- Functional Skills & ESOL tutors teach English and maths, which are often the first step towards further learning and employment.
- Workshop instructors run industries workshops, giving learners real work experience in areas such as furniture restoration, upholstery and waste management.
- Learning support practitioners and reading specialists work with learners who are neurodivergent or have low levels of literacy.
- Student support coaches help learners stay engaged and make progress through their courses.
- Education and quality managers lead the day-to-day running of education departments and the quality of teaching and learning.
Training and support
Every new colleague gets the training and support they need to do their job well and feel safe doing it. Our Training Academy brings together induction, teaching qualifications, management and leadership development, specialist training and mentoring, so you can keep building your career with us once you’ve joined.
Our Justice division is led by Divisional Managing Director Emma Yorke, who has worked in senior roles in education and training for more than 20 years, supported by a leadership team of directors, operations managers and education managers.
Our People
Many people wonder whether a prison is a safe place to work and what a typical day looks like. Hear from our colleagues about their experience.
Here's Lisa talking about her role as a Barbering Tutor at HMP Morton Hall. Lisa came to us having never worked for a prison before.
This clip shows Education Manager Mark sharing talking about his management style, communication and progression
What is working in a prison really like?
Many people may wonder whether a prison is a safe place to work, and what day-to-day actually looks like. Hear our colleagues talking about their experiences.
