Trainee Probation Officer

Trainee Probation Officer - Professional Qualification in Probation (Intake 20 - External Campaign)

Please note that this campaign is targeted to external candidates not currently employed by the Ministry of Justice. If you are directly employed by the Probation Service or wider Ministry of Justice, you may be eligible to apply to the PQiP 20 Internal MoJ Campaign.

Train to be a Probation Officer - By investing in your future, you could transform countless lives.

Salary: £26,475 p.a.

PQiP Start Date: 7th September 2026

For London Probation Delivery Units there is an allowance of £4,249 per annum. London allowance is extended to those staff who are contracted to work in workplaces within the M25 boundary.

What the role involves

Working in probation is a career like no other – you’ll gain the skills and insight to protect the public and reduce reoffending.

As a probation officer, you can change lives. Working with offenders in the community and in prisons, you’ll support them to get back on track and turn their lives around. We are looking for people with empathy and resilience to help people change. The role of a probation officer is rewarding but can be challenging – as you often work with people with complex needs, and no two people are the same. In addition, you’ll be working full-time alongside studying – but you’ll be supported every step of the way.

HM Prison & Probation Service fully fund the Professional Qualification in Probation programme, whilst also paying your salary throughout your studies, so it’s a great opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’ whilst working towards becoming a fully qualified probation officer. 

Even as you’re learning, you’ll make a positive impact as you encounter different situations. The decisions and actions you take can be the turning point for offenders– and instead of being part of the system for years to come, you can help them leave criminal behaviour behind for good.

Day to day, you’ll handle everything from visiting hostels, prisons and courts – all to make interventions with people who have committed offences that enable them to understand their behaviour and want to change it. Throughout, you’ll be working with offenders to help them recognise the benefit of education, skills, treatment or maybe counselling to prevent reoffending. You will be working in an environment that supports a range of flexible working options, including the ability to use technology to work remotely, to enhance your work-life balance and support the needs of the business.

You’ll be supported throughout your training to develop the resilience and practical tools to challenge these behaviours. You will also be given dedicated study time during your working week to complete the academic components of the qualification. However, as this is a fully funded, work-based professional programme, you’ll also need to commit some personal time to study. The amount of personal study required will vary depending on your learning style, so it’s important to ensure you have the capacity to meet this commitment and succeed.

We offer different learning programmes dependant on the level of qualification you hold. These range from 15 months for Graduates with a level 5 qualification to 27 months for our non-graduate programme.

What you’ll need

As part of the Probation Service, we support people on their road to rehabilitation. It involves working closely with all kinds of offenders often with complex needs, including those who’ve committed violent and sexual offences, or struggling with their mental health or substance misuse. As a Probation Officer, you need to be resilient as this can often make their behaviour challenging. Not everyone is ready to change, and you will experience setbacks. However, through our PQiP training programme, you will learn the tools needed to address such behaviours, engage with people and support them to make positive changes. You’ll also work with victims of crime, colleagues across the criminal justice system, charities and the wider community.

Please note: We cannot sponsor Trainee Probation Officers via the Skilled Worker visa route. If you hold limited right to work in the UK, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK.

Level 3 Qualification

To be eligible for the non-graduate PQiP programme, you need to have a level 3 qualification (or higher) e.g. A Level, Advanced apprenticeship, AS Level, International Baccalaureate Diploma, Level 3 NVQ. A full list can be found on the website.

This will be a 27-month learning programme which will involve completion of a level 4 module and the required knowledge modules within the first 12 months and in the final 15 months you will complete your level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice and a Diploma in Community Justice as well as your level 6 Professional Qualification in Probation.

Level 5 Qualification

To be eligible to apply to the graduate PQiP programme, you must hold a valid Level 5 qualification, or above, such as an honours degree, a foundation degree, a diploma of higher education, a Level 5 vocational qualification or a higher apprenticeship. It doesn’t matter what subject your Level 5 qualification is in.

To be eligible for the 15-month PQiP programme, you need to have studied knowledge modules on at least three of the following four topics as part of your degree (or equivalent):

Understanding Crime and Criminal Behaviour, The Criminal Justice System, Penal Policy and the Punishment of Offenders & Rehabilitation of Offenders.

If your level 5 qualification doesn’t include these subjects, you’ll most likely study the 21-month PQiP programme where you will complete the required knowledge modules and go on to study the required level 6 elements to qualify as a Probation Officer.

What we offer

You’ll be part of a supportive, diverse and friendly team environment – the perfect place to study towards your Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP). We will guide you through your studies, and we’ll give you the opportunity to make the most of your career as a Probation Officer.

You’ll receive a competitive salary and benefits package. We offer a generous annual leave allowance of 25 days plus eight public holidays and Local Government Pension Scheme. In addition, we offer opportunities for your onward career progression.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will become a qualified Probation Officer on a starting salary of £35,130 p.a. plus London Weighting Allowance where applicable.

During the PQiP application process, you will be asked to rank your preference of Probation Delivery Unit (PDU) within your chosen Probation region. This is the geographical area where your office will be located. Please ensure you are happy with the PDU preference you select, as once your training begins, we may not be able to facilitate moves to other PDUs or regions.

When you complete the programme, you will gain a Professional Qualification in Probation. Prior to qualifying you will be contacted to discuss your Probation Officer role offer. Depending on the level of vacancies available within your region you may need to go through a location preference exercise or need to apply to a role via fair and open recruitment. It is important to note the location of your job offer may not be where you have completed your training in accordance with business need.

Talks are ongoing between the Probation Service and recognised trade unions on proposals to introduce a business need requirement which, subject to the outcome of those forthcoming talks, may result in a requirement for new PQiPs to remain within the region in which they have trained for at least two years post-qualification. As part of these proposals, we would ensure that compassionate or reasonable adjustment transfers continue to be considered in accordance with Probation Service policy. If implemented, such criteria would not affect your right to apply for promotions during the period outside of your region.