Probation service launches new recruitment drive to secure next generation of officers

The Government is recruiting an additional 1,300 trainee Probation Officers across 2026/27, on top of the 2,300 already pledged to be brought in since 2024.

Trainees complete the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) over 15, 21 or 27 months, depending on existing qualifications.

Probation officers supervise people on probation, manage risk and support rehabilitation. They work across the justice system to tackle the root causes of reoffending, including substance misuse, housing instability and unemployment.

The recruitment drive is aimed particularly at people with transferable skills from education, health, social care, the military and other public-facing roles.

New research for the Ministry of Justice found that only one in five adults (21 percent) correctly identified the Probation Service as mainly responsible for supervising offenders serving sentences in the community.

After reading about what the role involves, more than half of adults (55 percent) said they would be interested in finding out more about a career as a probation officer, including almost a quarter (24 percent) who were very interested.

This recruitment push supports the Government’s Plan for Change commitment to safer streets and a justice system that protects the public and cuts reoffending.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Lord Timpson, said: “Probation Officers play a vital and often overlooked role at the heart of our justice system.

“They protect the public, reduce reoffending and support people to make lasting changes, with benefits felt by families and communities across the country. If you’re looking for a career with real purpose, I encourage you to consider probation.”

People join the Probation Service from a wide range of professional backgrounds. Steve Duffy, a Probation Officer in Greater Manchester, joined the service six years ago after working in prisons through a housing charity.

Today, he specialises in supporting people leaving custody to build more stable lives in the community.

Mr Duffy said: “My primary school shared a wall with a prison, so the justice system felt very real to me from a young age. That sparked an early interest in what leads people to commit crime and how we can support people to turn their lives around.

“What I enjoy most about probation is helping people rebuild their lives while also helping to make communities safer. The heart of the job is relationships – being a consistent person in someone’s life can make a huge difference, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone make real progress.”