PENTICTON – The South Okanagan will get an economic shot in the arm when the Okanagan Correctional Centre is completed in late 2016 and the recruitment process for jobs at the prison continues.

More than 240 full-time correctional officer jobs will open up, creating opportunities for those interested in the demanding role as a correctional officer.

B.C. Corrections is helping to prepare those interested in a correctional officer career by offering readiness sessions and physical abilities testing, something considered to be a first step in the process of acquiring a job in the institution.

The free sessions, which are held in partnership with the Justice Institute of B.C. include information about corrections and the judicial system as well as explaining the roles and tasks a correctional officer is expected to perform. There will also be information available on how to prepare to apply for the jobs.

Readiness sessions are scheduled for the following locations and dates:

– Sept. 5, Penticton Days Inn, 15 Riverside Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
– Sept. 6, Oliver, Oliver South Okanagan High School, 6140 Gala St. from 8:30 a.m to 4 p.m.
– Sept. 12, Justice Institute of B.C., 825 Walrod St., Kelowna from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Interested applicants can also find out if they are physically up to the challenge by taking the Correctional Officer’s Physical Abilities Test, which is also a job application requirement. The test involves such activities as running stairs, dodging obstacles, pushing and pulling heavy objects and gaining control over a resisting subject through endurance and agility.

Those interested in attending or taking the physical abilities test should call call 604-462-5170 or email recruiter.occ@gov.bc.ca and use REGISTER in the subject line.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.