Prison Officers from HMP Forest Bank visited the college recently to speak with Ashton Sixth Form College's Public Services students. 

The Public Services department welcomed the visitors to both level 2 and level 3 groups. 

Forest Bank prison in Salford, Greater Manchester is a category B closed prison and houses adult male offenders only. It opened in 2000 and has the capacity to hold almost 1,400 prisoners at any one time. 

The visiting prison officers spoke about the prison system and the work they do in the prison. The officers play an extremely important role within the justice system. Students studying their course in Public Services cover a range of topics including Government and Policies as well as Leadership and Teamwork. They had the opportunity to relate the units they are working on in class to real life examples. In addition, they also explored possible future career opportunities in the Public Services. 

Students were able to hear firsthand what it is like to work within the walls of a prison. The prison officers spoke about what they face on a daily basis and also the unpredictable nature of the work they do. The prison officers presented a realistic view of their roles and the troubling encounters they come up against day to day. 

They also brought along some of the protective clothing and equipment they use in the prisons. 

For those wishing to work in the public sector, the visit from the prison officers gave them a real understanding of the work they do.

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Find out more about studying Public Services at Ashton here.