Northlanders are lining up to find out about jobs as prison guards at the Ngawha Prison, the Department of Corrections says.
The department recently held four information evenings for people interested in becoming prison guards -- or corrections officers as they are formally known -- in Whangarei, Kaikohe, Kaitaia and Rawene.
Theevenings were to let people know of the requirements for taking up a job at the Ngawha Prison, about 7km northeast of Kaikohe. The jail should receive its first prisoners on March 24 next year.
Ngawha Prison site manager Mike Hughes said 395 people registered their interest in working at the prison.
He said the purpose of the evenings had been to let the community know what is expected of the job and what requirements they would need to meet.
The recruitment process for the Ngawha Prison would begin in August and the jail will provide about 230 jobs, including about 90 prison guards, with half of those expected to be filled by Northlanders.
The balance of the prison guard complement will be made up by experienced guards from elsewhere.
