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Options to recruit

There are a range of ways to recruit prison leavers, including:

Prison industries

  • Businesses set up commercial workspaces in prisons, which become part of their supply chains.
  • These workspaces are staffed by serving prisoners who work there daily, on anything from packing and assembly work to more complex manufacturing and services.
  • Prisoners gain valuable and transferable skills, experience and qualifications.
  • HMP Academies provide spaces in prisons, hosted and branded by employers to give prisoners ‘on the job’ training in preparation for employment on release, and offering a guaranteed interview to all successful graduates.

Release on temporary licence (RoTL)

  • Businesses offer training and work experience to a serving prisoner to see first-hand what individuals can offer.
  • Suitable, risk assessed, men and women leave prison each day to work for employers in the community.
  • This can be full or part-time for up to two years before being released.
  • Serving prisoners in open prisons can now take up apprenticeships to give them the skills and training they need to improve their employability prospects on release.
  • Businesses offer prisoners access to industry-standard qualifications.

Employment on release

  • Businesses work with prisons and probation to find talent and offer employment to people at the end of their prison sentence.

For more information, get in touch and one of our specialists can advise you on the best route.


Going Forward into Employment

Going Forward into Employment (GFIE) is a Civil Service recruitment scheme aimed at providing a different entry route into jobs within the Civil Service for people who face barriers into employment. This includes those leaving prison and with unspent convictions. Providing experience to people with a wide range of backgrounds can help make the Civil Service more representative of the country it serves. 

We work in partnership with the Cabinet Office GFIE team to support government departments and agencies identify and fill roles within the Civil Service. New Futures Network and our partners advertise roles to prisoners and secure the best candidates to apply for these jobs.

Recruiting directly into the Civil Service will strengthen the Government’s commitment to reduce reoffending. 

Find further information on Going Forward into Employment.