The honest starting point: what the evidence does and does not show
In shortHMPPS does not publish where leavers go, so this guide sticks to the routes official pages describe and labels our own judgement.
People searching for careers after the prison service usually want a list of jobs that 'value ex-prison officers'. The honest position is that HMPPS does not publish where leavers go, and we found no official dataset of destinations.
What can be sourced are the routes that official pages describe, and the skills the job demonstrably involves. We use those published duties as the basis for the analysis below, and label what is our judgement.
- The training page lists looking after people in custody.
- Search and security procedures.
- Use of radios and keys.
- De-escalating challenging situations.
- Control and restraint.
Who this is for
This guide is for officers considering leaving, those who have left and people weighing the job before joining. It covers England and Wales primarily.
For the departure process itself (notice, pension, final pay) read our leaving the prison service guide; this guide begins where that one ends. If you have not yet decided, our pros and cons guide and is prison officer a good career set out the trade-offs.
A transferable-skills map you can use on a CV
In shortTranslate duties into outcomes with real examples; the table is a prompt for CV evidence, not a claim that any role requires them.
A prison officer works in a high-risk environment with people who may be in distress or hostile, manages security routines, writes factual records, supports rehabilitation through key work and works as part of a team that depends on each other.
Employers rarely recognise job titles from another sector, so translate duties into outcomes: what you prevented, improved or delivered, with numbers where you can honestly give them.
Writing your examples
- Use the same structure interviewers use: the situation, your task, what you did and what happened.
- The best examples often involve de-escalation without force, early recognition of risk, and supporting a colleague or a prisoner through a crisis.
- Avoid vague terms such as 'maintained order' and describe the actual steps.
| Published duty or training area | Transferable skill | Where it can be relevant |
|---|---|---|
| De-escalating challenging situations | Calm communication under pressure; conflict resolution | Probation, youth work, security, customer-facing public services |
| Looking after people in custody; key worker role | Safeguarding, active listening, case recording | Probation, support work, housing and community services |
| Search and security procedures; keys and radios | Risk awareness, procedural discipline, attention to detail | Licensed security, facilities, transport and border roles |
| Incident response and control and restraint | Decision-making under time pressure; physical competence | Security, policing (as part of a wider application) |
| Writing reports and records | Factual, accountable written communication | Almost any regulated or public-sector role |
| Supervising officers or support staff (Band 4 and above) | Line management, rota planning, performance conversations | Management roles in public and private sectors |
Training content from HMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs; mapping is our own and not exhaustive.
Route 1: probation officer and other Ministry of Justice roles
In shortProbation is the nearest documented route: a paid, full-time Level 6 qualification of about 15 to 30 months, though no source says prison experience gives an advantage.
- QualificationLevel 6Professional Qualification in Probation; paid, full time
- Length (page opened)15 to 30 monthsDepends on existing qualifications; other summaries say 15, 21 or 27
- Youth justice worker training9 weeksInitial training; Level 4 qualification after a 12-month probation
The HMPPS probation officer training page describes the Professional Qualification in Probation, a Level 6 qualification that combines a Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice and a Diploma in Community Justice, delivered full time while you are paid. It says trainees begin as a probation services officer, learning on the job.
The page we opened gave course lengths of 15 to 30 months depending on your current qualifications; search summaries of related HMPPS pages give 15, 21 or 27 months, and non-graduates with Level 3 qualifications at the longer end, so check the live page and your own qualifications.
Does prison experience count?
The page does not say whether prison experience gives any advantage. We found no published statement either way, so present your experience as relevant evidence rather than assume it counts.
The HMPPS career progression page for prison officers also says progression extends beyond the Prison Service to the Probation Service and the wider Ministry of Justice. Pay in probation differs from prison pay and we compare them in our prison officer vs probation officer pay guide.
Youth justice worker
Other roles in the HMPPS family exist. The youth justice worker role in the Youth Custody Service involves nine weeks of initial training and, per the careers page, a Level 4 qualification after a 12-month probation.
It requires a DBS check and works with children and young people, which is a different setting from an adult prison. Our youth custody officer guide covers it.
Route 2: policing
In shortPolicing has several constable entry routes, we found no shortcut for former prison officers, and which route you qualify for depends on whether you hold a degree.
The College of Policing lists the main entry routes for police constables in England and Wales. The page itself returned an access error when we tried to open it directly, so we rely on the College's published list as shown in search summaries and recommend you read the current page at college.police.uk before applying.
- Police constable degree apprenticeship
- A three-year programme with a degree in professional policing practice.
- Degree holder entry programme
- A two-year work-based route for graduates.
- Pre-join degree in professional policing
- A degree taken before applying.
- Police constable entry programme
- Available from 1 April 2024.
No shortcut for former prison officers
We found no dedicated shortcut for former prison officers. Policing forces recruit locally with their own assessments, vetting and fitness standards, and the entry route you qualify for depends on whether you hold a degree.
That is a significant factor for officers who joined without one: the degree apprenticeship route or a pre-join degree may be the relevant ones, and the Level 2 English and maths requirement on the apprenticeship may matter.
Pay and pension
A prison officer on the national Band 3 scale starts at £34,928 including unsocial hours on 37 hours. Our prison officer pay vs police officer pay guide and prison officer vs police officer career guide set the packages side by side.
That includes the pension difference: police officers have an earlier normal pension age than prison officers, whose alpha pension age is the later of State Pension age and 65. Check current pay and pension terms with the force, and compare using the job offer comparator.
Route 3: security industry work and other licensed roles
In shortLicensed security work needs an SIA licence (£204 from 1 April 2026, valid three years); we found no exemption or reduced training for prison officers.
- SIA licence fee£204From 1 April 2026; 50% discount on additional licences applied for at the same time; non-refundable
- Licence length3 yearsA vehicle immobiliser licence lasts one year
- Minimum age18Plus identity and criminal record checks
Private security work is regulated by the Security Industry Authority.
To get a licence you must be at least 18, pass identity and criminal record checks, show a right to work in the UK where relevant and, for front-line licences such as security guarding, door supervision, close protection, CCTV, cash and valuables in transit, hold the licence-linked qualification.
Why mention it, and what we could not source
Former officers often have the relevant mindset, and licensed roles are among the more obvious places employers look for people used to security environments. We stress 'obviously' as analysis.
We did not find a published exemption or reduced training for prison officers, and pay and conditions vary widely between employers, so check them carefully; our job offer comparator helps you compare hours and pensions as well as headline rates.
Other regulated and public-facing roles, such as work with local authorities, housing, transport, border security and the courts, may also value your experience, but we could not source current official pages tying them to ex-prison-officer applicants, so we do not list specific routes or pay.
Use the job description's own essential criteria and evidence them from your record.
Route 4: staying in the Civil Service, or returning to the prison service
In shortA move within the Civil Service can keep your scheme and pension, the Returners' Scheme covers leavers within five years, and private prisons are a separate employer with different terms.
Prison officers are civil servants, so a move to another government department can keep your Civil Service employment and pension in the same scheme. We did not find an official page that sets out the terms of such a move for prison officers specifically, so confirm with the receiving department and the pension administrator.
The general scheme rules on preserved and linked pensions are covered in our deferred pension and pension transfers guides.
- Returners' Scheme
- Open to former officers who left within the last five years. Use it as a safety net rather than a plan: eligibility and what it offers should be confirmed with HMPPS before you resign. Within five years, rejoining the Civil Service is also normally treated as linking your old pension to new service, which is a significant financial benefit.
- Private prisons
- Run by operators such as Serco and Sodexo rather than HMPPS, so pay, pensions and training differ. We found only advert snippets for those roles and cannot give verified pay, so our private prisons guide and prison custody officer vs prison officer pay guide explain the structure and what to check.
Money: what you give up, and what to compare
In shortCompare total annual pay, hours, leave, pension and commute, not the headline salary; pension is often the largest hidden item.
- Band 3 pay point 3, 37h£36,778National, incl. 20% unsocial hours allowance (pensionable)
- Band 3 pay point 3, 39 or 41hUp to £41,417National, officers on 39 or 41 hours
If your new job is a standard 37-hour day job with no allowance, the base figure may be much lower than your officer package even if the advertised salary looks similar.
Pension is often the largest hidden item. Public sector defined benefit pension is worth a great deal more than a typical defined contribution match. Our guide on how much pension a prison officer will get shows examples, and the pension calculator estimates what you have built up.
A three-column comparison
Your preserved pension is not lost, but it is not free of risk or reduction if claimed early, so include it when you compare.
Run a simple three-column comparison for any offer: officer package today, offer, and the difference after tax and pension. The free job offer comparator does this and takes account of hours and pension, and our take-home pay guide explains the tax and National Insurance on officer pay.
Include non-pay items such as shift allowances you will lose, commuting changes and the loss of job security in the public sector.
Making the move: steps, mistakes and practical advice
In shortStart looking before you resign, keep records, check the pension two-year line, and read the misconduct guide first if a sanction is live.
Start the job search before you resign if you can, and read your contract for restrictions such as outside employment rules. Keep records of your training, qualifications and appraisals: they evidence your skills, and you may need them if you return.
Ask a line manager you trust for a reference, and confirm how HR handles references. If you are under investigation or on a live sanction, read our misconduct and future employment guide first.
- List five real examples from your job that show the skills in the table, with a measurable outcome where you can.
- Check the official page for the route you want: probation, policing, SIA licence or a Civil Service department, and note eligibility and dates.
- Compare the offer with your officer package using the comparator and pension calculator, including hours and leave.
- Check your pension position and exact qualifying service before you resign, using the leaving guide.
- Confirm your notice period and agree the leaving date in writing.
- Keep your training records and consider the Returners' Scheme window before you decide it is final.
Common mistakes
The mistake
- Leaving without checking the pension two-year line.
- Assuming a new employer will recognise prison experience as qualification.
- Comparing salaries without hours.
- Burning a bridge when the Returners' Scheme could be a safety net.
- Leaving because of a bad few months without trying a transfer or a change of role.
If health or trauma is the reason
- Speak to occupational health and your GP.
- Read our guides on stress and wellbeing and trauma and PTSD.
- There are pension and injury benefit implications that depend on timing.
Frequently asked questions
What jobs can you get after being a prison officer?
Nobody publishes official destination data. Documented routes include probation through the paid Professional Qualification in Probation, policing via the College of Policing entry routes, licensed security work through an SIA licence, other Civil Service and Ministry of Justice roles, and a return via the Returners' Scheme within five years of leaving.
Can a prison officer become a probation officer?
Yes, through the same application route as other candidates. HMPPS describes a paid, full-time Professional Qualification in Probation lasting about 15 to 30 months depending on your qualifications. We found no published statement that prison experience shortens the route or gives priority, so present it as relevant experience.
Can ex-prison officers join the police?
They can apply through the standard police constable entry routes, which include a degree apprenticeship, a degree holder programme and a pre-join degree. We found no dedicated fast route for former prison officers. Each force sets its own assessments, vetting and fitness standards, so check with the force you want to join.
Do I need an SIA licence to work in security?
For most front-line licensable roles such as security guarding, door supervision and CCTV, yes. You must be 18 or over, pass identity and criminal record checks, have the right to work and hold the licence-linked qualification. The GOV.UK fee is £204 from 1 April 2026 and the licence lasts three years.
What happens to my pension if I leave the prison service?
With two or more years in alpha you keep a deferred pension, claimable from 55 (57 from 6 April 2028) with a reduction or at normal pension age without one. With under two years you receive a refund or cash transfer sum. Rejoining the Civil Service within five years normally links the old pension.
Will employers value prison officer experience?
Many roles value de-escalation, safeguarding, risk awareness and report writing, which are in the published training content, but we cannot say any employer will treat it as equivalent to a qualification. Evidence each skill with a specific example and check each role's essential criteria.
Can I go back to the prison service if I leave?
HMPPS lists a Returners' Scheme for people who worked as a prison officer and left within the last five years. Details beyond eligibility are not on the page we read, so ask the recruitment team what stages apply. After five years you would normally apply through the standard route.
Is a private prison job a good alternative?
It can keep you in custody work, but private operators set their own pay, pension and training, and officers are not civil servants there. We found only advert snippets and cannot give verified pay. Compare the full package with the comparator and ask about pension before you move.
Sources
- prisonandprobationjobs.gov.ukHMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs: prison officer career progression
- prisonandprobationjobs.gov.ukHMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs: probation officer training (PQiP)
- prisonandprobationjobs.gov.ukHMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs: youth justice worker training
- college.police.ukCollege of Policing: police constable entry routes
- gov.ukGOV.UK: apply for an SIA licence
- prisonandprobationjobs.gov.ukHMPPS Prison and Probation Jobs: other ways to apply (Returners' Scheme)
- finance-ni.gov.ukDepartment of Finance NI: alpha scheme guide, Section 04 Leaving the scheme
- assets.publishing.service.gov.ukPSPRB Twenty-Fifth Report on England and Wales 2026 (CP 1550)