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The Global Insight

What qualifications do you need to become a prison officer?

Author

Sarah Garza

Updated on March 23, 2026

You do not need qualifications to apply directly to be a prison officer. Personal qualities are more important. You’ll need to take an online test to check your judgement and your number skills.

How much do prison officers get paid?

The highest salary for a Prison Officer in London Area is £35,109 per year. The lowest salary for a Prison Officer in London Area is £24,877 per year.

Can I be a prison officer if I have been to prison?

Many organisations choose to recruit people who have had direct personal experience of the prison system to support their service users. However, all applicants for all levels of clearance in prisons will be expected to disclose cautions and spent convictions (unless protected) as well as unspent convictions.

Can prison guards have tattoos?

Can you have tattoos as correctional officer? Yes you can have tattoos and piercings. Don’t wear jewelry in piercings per policy and for safety.

How dangerous is it to be a prison guard?

Adverse Health Effects. It is near impossible to work in a stressful environment such as a prison without suffering ill effects. The S C Times reports that prison guards encounter greater hardships than police officers. Problems can include higher levels of heart attack, ulcers and high blood pressure.

How dangerous is being a prison guard?

Can prison guards have beards?

yes, correctional officers have to follow groming standards addressed in the facility operations manual. A federal judge last week barred the state prison department from taking any “adverse action” against correctional officers who have a beard or are seeking an accommodation to have a beard for religious reasons.

Where do you go to school to become a prison officer?

Prison officer entry level training (POELT) There’s a lot of basic training you’ll need to do before you can begin your career as a prison officer. You’ll start with a 10-week training course at the Prison Service College (PSC) at Newbold Revel, Rugby, or one of the local POELT training centres.

When do you go live as a prison officer?

This is also an opportunity to see if you need any extra training or guidance. This will typically be the first time you work directly with offenders, but you’ll always be supervised and supported by experienced members of staff before ‘going live’ as a fully trained prison officer.

How long does it take to become a Poelt officer?

Altogether, the POELT is a 12-week programme that equips new officers with the skills and knowledge needed to begin their careers working in the prison service and rehabilitate offenders.

How long does it take to become a prison officer in England?

Currently, it starts with an induction week at the prison you’ve applied to, followed by a 10-week intensive training course at one of our 40 learning centres across England and Wales, and ends with a consolidation week back at your prison.