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Certificate III · national qualification
Certificate III in Correctional Practice
This qualification is for people who supervise and monitor offenders and detainees, and it's usually completed while working in the role rather than before starting.
- How long it takes
- 1 to 2 years
- typical for this level
- Main job
- Corrections Officer
- $108,200 median pay
- Taught by
- 2 providers
- VIC, TAS
Is this course right for you?
What the Certificate III in Correctional Practice asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- an interest in working with people in custody or on community orders
- clear communication skills for speaking with offenders and colleagues
- patience and calm when monitoring behaviour and keeping people safe
- care in writing reports and case notes that record what happens
Before you start
There are no entry requirements for this qualification.
Where this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it
Corrections Officer
Corrections officers supervise people in custody, keeping a prison or detention centre secure and running the routines that shape a detainee's day.
What else you need
In most services this is completed after you are employed as a correctional officer recruit, not before. You must first be recruited and pass the employer's selection and character checks; the award alone does not qualify you for employment.
Median pay$108,200
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.
Where you can study this course
There are 2 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Website for The Gordon (opens in a new tab)
The Gordon
5 campuses, VIC
4.0from 168 Google reviews
What students like
- Teaching staff are supportive and highly professional
- Staff are friendly and helpful
What to weigh up
- Courses can feel loosely organised
- Website for TasTAFE (opens in a new tab)
TasTAFE
12 campuses, TAS
4.3from 167 Google reviews
What you’ll learn
16 units: 5 that everyone takes and 11 you choose.
- Communicating with offenders and detainees
- Writing reports and case notes
- Maintaining security and monitoring behaviour
- Supervising offenders on community orders
- Working with families and community
- Safe work practices
See all 5 core units
Core units
Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.
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Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?