In the face of massive demand for new prison offices and staff, the Belgian Government has decided to speed up the otherwise lengthy procedure to hire staff for prisons.
In a government press release, authorities say that the current lengthy application system, alongside severe shortages in other sectors of the economy, mean that potential recruits often accept other jobs rather than in the prison system.
To combat this, the government has announced a “temporary” accelerated recruitment procedure to streamline the process, especially to meet demand during the summer months and in time for the opening of new prisons in Haren (Brussels) and Dendermonde (Flanders).
Currently, potential applicants must complete a test, take interviews, and take medical examinations before they can join the force. With demand for labour high, the government said that most applicants simply drop out of this procedure before they are hired.
In 2021, more than 5,000 people applied to become prison security assistants but over half never showed up for the interview.
Speedy employment
A new royal decree will allow the Federal Government to fill critical positions speedily. Roles, such as penitentiary officers, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and phone operators can now be recruited locally by the prisons themselves. This new system is not intended to replace the recruitment system currently in place but will operate until the end of the year.
“For the new prisons in Haren and Dendermond, detention centres, and to tackle the current staff shortages, the prison system is looking for a total of 1,200 penitentiary officers,” Belgian Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne explained. “But now that the labour market is increasingly tight, the cumbersome recruitment procedure is a serious handicap.”
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Employees hired under the new fast-tracked system will receive a fixed-term contract for a period of one year, which can later be renewed following positive assessments. While this new system is in place, Minister of the Civil Service Petra de Sutter will work to reform the existing system “so that the government can remain competitive in the labour market.”
“The fact that candidates for jobs in the prison system can now be recruited in a matter of weeks is a huge step forward. The justice system has never recruited so quickly,” Van Quickenborne noted.
The minister stressed that this policy is a temporary measure to help the prison sector compete with the demanding nature of the Belgian employment market. The government says that the new measures will “strengthen existing staffing frameworks in the prisons and provide sufficient staff.”
To accompany the new recruitment drive, the government has launched an online promotion campaign to direct potential applicants towards their website.
