Fancy a job at Wellingborough's prison? Find out more at Rushden event

HMP Five Wells, pictured during the construction phase.

Jobseekers will be able to find out more about roles at Wellingborough's new prison at an event next week.

Wellingborough's Jobcentre staff are working with G4S to fill more than 300 officer jobs for HMP Five Wells, which is expected to open in January 2022

A recruitment event will be held on Tuesday, July 27, from 10am to 4pm at Canoe 2 at Rushden Lakes.

G4S, the local employer adviser team and Evolve will be on hand to provide information about the role and support to apply including the booking of individual interviews.

Michelle Wass, employer manager for Northamptonshire, said: “This is a great opportunity to join a new and exciting team, with an employer looking for individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds from the local community.

"No prior experience or qualifications are required and full support and training is provided to help you build and develop a successful career as a prison custody officer."

To find out more or to start a career as a prison officer at HMP Five Wells jobseekers should go to the event next week, speak to their jobcentre work coach or email ea.wellingborough@dwp.gov.uk.

The new category C resettlement prison is taking shape on the same site as the former HMP Wellingborough and will provide a modern facility which will create a 'safe and secure environment' for staff and prisoners.

A total of 1,680 cells were built in just 45 weeks.

The Northants Telegraph reported in October that G4S had been awarded the contract to run the new prison, creating 700 jobs.

Wellingborough's former prison was shut down in 2012 because of its poor condition.

But it was then revealed that the site would be brought back into use as part of the government's Prison Estate Transformation Programme.

Work on the new £253m prison began in 2019.

Earlier this year hundreds of workers were sent home after a protest against builders Kier saw protesters stop delivery vehicles from reaching the site, with one campaigner encasing their arm inside a concrete-filled oil drum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story said people could turn up on Tuesday for an on-the-spot interview. This was based on a media release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP have since said that on-the-spot interviews will now not be offered and the article has been updated to reflect this.