Vocational education and training in queensland correctional centres

Since 1995 accredited Vocational Education and Training (VET) has been provided to prisoners in both public and privately operated Queensland correctional centres and a number of community custodial centres. Prior to that time vocational training delivered to prisoners was provided through a local arrangement between correctional centres and local "providers". All training was not necessarily accredited and in most cases did not provide participants with certification for the skills obtained. Nationally accredited VET and literacy education, delivered by registered training organisations (RTO's) contracted by the Department of Employment and Training (DET), is now provided to prisoners. The Department of Corrective Services (DCS) and DET jointly fund this training. Through this process prisoners are able to participate in accredited VET which provides them with the opportunity to attain valuable employment skills and/or to gain credits towards numerous training programs upon release. In 1999 a review of the VET and literacy training being conducted in correctional centres was undertaken by the then Queensland Corrections (now the Department of Corrective Services). This paper will provide an overview of the process for the delivery of VET and literacy to prisoners in the Queensland correctional system and will include a description of the model for the integration of VET into correctional industries being trialed at two of the correctional centres. Thee findings of the 1999 VET review and the resulting recommendations will also be discussed.