Construction crews were recently preparing to work on the site of the new South Okanagan Correctional Centre near Oliver. Information meetings are being held for those seeking employment as correctional officers. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
Want to be a correctional officer for the new South Okanagan Correctional Centre?
Now is your chance to put your best foot forward.
BC Corrections is putting out the call for a few good men and women in the South Okanagan who are interested in a career at the new minimum security facility.
Construction on the $200 million facility has begun in Senkulmen Business Park north of Oliver. Now the Ministry of Justice is turning its attention to hiring correctional officers.
Information sessions will be held in Oliver and Osoyoos for people who want to learn more about the hiring process.
The prison, slated to open in 2016, will create more than 240 correctional officer positions.
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells said he is delighted to see the ministry announcing these job opportunities.
“This is an early heads up for local residents to sit down and see what the requirements are to be eligible to be a corrections officer.”
Wells said he understands that BC Corrections does its own training in-house, so interested residents can get some educational upgrades if needed.
“I hope this generates a lot of interest as it is a great employment opportunity,” Wells said.
Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes said the ministry previously informed him that 40 per cent of the jobs would be new hires, while 60 per cent would be transfers from other facilities.
“It was also said that after a few years they would all be local positions. It makes sense that there would need to be a significant skill set from day one,” Hovanes said.
Myers Bennett, president of the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce, said he expects that any senior officers who want to retire to the Okanagan at the end of their career will want to transfer to the new facility in Oliver.
“I am sure their move would be paid for by the government, so they would take up a lot of the senior positions.”
Bennett wonders about all of the other jobs (food services, etc.) that BC Corrections will need to fill in Oliver.
“I know there are a lot of motels and restaurants in the Okanagan this year that were shorthanded, and if these same jobs open in the prison with higher pay, then how do we prepare to fill in the vacancies which will occur as a result of these employees wanting to make a better wage?”
In any event, Bennett believes the 240 positions will bring in a lot of new families, who will have a lot of options as to where they want to live depending on there lifestyle.
“Some will want to stay and be able to bike to work and want the quiet lifestyle of Oliver as they have a lot more services including the hospital,” he said. “Others may choose Osoyoos or Okanagan Falls as they want to live on the lake and others may want the shopping so they will choose Penticton.”
Bennett said the chamber has put together a package showing the benefits of living in the South Okanagan in order to convince new families to relocate here.
“This is huge value to Mount Baldy with all the added families as to additional potential for skiers as well.”
Bennett noted the chamber is actively working with a receiver to get the ski hill open again and operating on a larger scale, possibly seven days a week.
In regards to hiring local contractors, the chamber has established a registry of 600-plus contractors that have signed up for potential work at the site.
“If I am a contractor or I am wanting to work on the project, it would be like any other project; I would need to contact that (general) contractor and make them aware I am ready to go to work so I am out front and centre.”
In regards to local building supply companies, Bennett suspects a lot of these larger contractors have special rates worked out with their current suppliers for large volumes.
“But I am sure there will be a lot of spinoffs to the local building suppliers. On any job you always need something and you are not going to be running to Kelowna or Vancouver to get it.”
The Ministry of Justice confirmed a few details about the types of jobs that will be performed by inmates within the facility.
For example, inmates will provide laundry services – a standard practice in all BC correctional centres.
A contract to provide food services will be required, in addition to contracted service providers such as nurses, doctors, dentists, trades personnel and counsellors.
The ministry says inmates may assist with kitchen, janitorial, maintenance tasks, and other tasks such as tailoring, industrial ceramic production and hardware packaging.
They may also learn trades such as TV maintenance, painting and landscaping.
Next month BC Corrections and the Justice Institute of BC will host two-hour orientation sessions that will provide people with an overview of correctional work, including the culture, safety and security.
The first orientation session will be held on October 6 at the Osoyoos Indian Band resource building in Oliver from 6-8 p.m.
The second will be held on October 7 at Osoyoos Secondary School from 6-8 p.m.
The third session will take place at the Oliver Recreation Centre on October 8 from 6-8 p.m.
Those interested in attending any of these sessions can call 604 462-5170, or register by email at [email protected] with “register” in the subject line. Include first and second session choices and contact information in the body of the email.
BC Corrections is also hosting some “readiness” sessions – either two full days or four consecutive evenings – focusing on corrections and the justice system, the roles and duties of a correctional officer and the unique needs of the offender population.
The first readiness session will be held at the Osoyoos Indian Band community hall in Oliver on October 14-17 from 6-9:15 p.m.
The second session is scheduled for October 18-19 at Southern Okanagan Secondary School in Oliver from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m.
The third session will be hosted at Osoyoos Secondary School on October 25-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
LYONEL DOHERTY
Special to the Times
