I trained as a hairdresser but now I work in a prison and no two days are the same

Officer Grant first joined HMP Stocken near Grantham, as an Operational Support Grade (OSG). This vital role means you can be responsible for a variety of day-to-day tasks - including security and searches at the gate, managing deliveries, supervising visitors and monitoring phone calls and CCTV.

She previously worked in health, social care and the hospitality industry. She moved from the South West to Cambridgeshire when her mum found a job at HMP Whitemoor. Lucy worked with her mum as an OSG in the Category A prison, then left to train as a hairdresser but decided that career wasn’t for her. She says:  “I searched online and saw there were OSG jobs at HMP Stocken which is not far from where I was living in Lincolnshire. I jumped at the chance.

“I worked in the visits team and also vehicle escorting. I’ve been quite pleasantly surprised that no two days are the same. Working as an OSG for nearly a year confirmed to me that I wanted a career working in the prison service.”

Officer Grant was encouraged to apply for a prison officer role and was ‘fast-tracked’ because of her previous experience of working in the prison. Within one week of applying she was taking her prison officer fitness tests. She added: “It was definitely advantageous for me when starting the prison officer role, to have worked as an OSG already. I knew all the prisoners and they knew me. I knew the layout of the prison and it wasn’t as daunting for me as it might have been.

“You perhaps don’t have as much contact with the prisoners in the OSG role, but it was the perfect introduction to the prison officer role for me.

“It can be challenging, being a woman working in a prison, and sometimes you get cheeky comments from the prisoners, but if you’re firm and put your foot down, they know you won’t tolerate it. You need a thick skin for this role and be confident in who you are.”

She said she has plans to apply for promotions into more senior roles in the future, but working in the OSG role gave her the best possible start in the prison.

You do not need qualifications to become a prison officer or to join in a support staff role. HMP Stocken is looking for compassionate, creative people like Lucy, with excellent communication skills who can make decisions effectively.

New OSG recruits start on a salary of around £25,626 and full training will be given. To find out more visit Prison and Probation Jobs.