The Probation Service has launched a recruitment drive for 1,300 new trainee probation officers.
The Ministry of Justice announced a £700m investment in probation in March that would include the recruitment of an extra 1,300 trainee probation officers in 2026-27, on top of the 2,300 pledged since Labour came to power in 2024.
The Probation Service has now launched its campaign for the recruitment drive, offering a starting salary of £28,064 that will rise to £37,238 on qualification. Trainee officers will also receive a civil service pension and get structured mentoring and a full benefits package, the Probation Service said.
The trainee probation officers will complete a fully funded Level 6 equivalent qualification while they work. Trainees complete the Professional Qualification in Probation over 15, 21 or 27 months, depending on existing qualifications.
Candidates for the role must hold a minimum Level 3 qualification in any subject, including A levels, a diploma or a degree.
The Probation Service said its recruitment drive “is aimed particularly at people with transferable skills from education, health, social care, the military and other public-facing roles”.
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.
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."
The Probation Service also noted new research commissioned by the Ministry of Justice that found only one in five adults (21%) correctly identified the Probation Service as being mainly responsible for supervising offenders serving sentences in the community.
After reading about what the role involves, more than half of adults (55%) said they would be interested in finding out more about a career as a probation officer, including almost a quarter (24%) who were very interested.
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.”