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A woman looks confidently towards the sky. Text on the image says "A 2 year programme. A lifetime's impact. Is it for you?"

Unlocked Graduates Development Leadership Programme

Unlocked Graduates is working to break cycles of reoffending by identifying brilliant people and supporting them to spend two years improving our prison system from the frontline.

The skills and experience you gain leading reform will make you stand out from any crowd.

Unlocked Graduates: It’s not for you.

It’s not for you.

Step away from the desk and take on a different type of challenge. We know this graduate programme isn’t for everyone … but is it for you? It takes courage to apply for an ambitious graduate role. It’s fine if you’re not ready for the responsibility of being a leader, working for a Times Top 100 employer.

But if you’re ready to take the leap, check out this opportunity to kick-start your career and make a real impact. With a fully funded master’s degree and leadership training, you’ll reap the benefits and give back.

Opportunities with Unlocked

Unlocked Graduates are a handful of elite, frontline graduate schemes recognised by the Civil Service Fast Stream. Anyone who manages to get a Fast Stream place is allowed to defer their start date in order to get the amazing frontline experience offered by Unlocked Graduates.

Following their two years on the programme, many Unlocked Ambassadors have gone on to work across the Civil Service, in the Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and more.

Participants on the Unlocked programme can choose for their second-year project to have a policy lens as these are shared with their prison governor and with officials at the Ministry of Justice. This offers the chance to have a system-wide impact across the country – contributing to a unique body of knowledge developed by prison officers on the frontline in prisons.

Unlocked offers a number of work placements in the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS during the second year for those participants who are particularly interested in how policy is developed. This is part of a wide range of different work placements we provide.

Hear from Elden, an ambassador who went from the Unlocked Programme to work as a Policy Lead at the Ministry of Justice

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“My placement on the Unlocked programme allowed me to understand how operational and non operational staff work together to reach the HMPPS goals of reducing reoffending.

It’s been an absolute privilege to sit in with Director Generals and gain a real insight to what’s going on from the very top.”

Scarlett

Unlocked Graduates 2020 cohort

Good to Know

What we’re looking for: What we’re looking for – Unlocked Graduates (unlockedgrads.org.uk)

Hints and tips: Hints and tips – Unlocked Graduates (unlockedgrads.org.uk)

Programme structure: Programme structure – Unlocked Graduates (unlockedgrads.org.uk)

Participant stories: Participant stories – Unlocked Graduates (unlockedgrads.org.uk)

A graduate stands proudly in front of a building. The Unlocked graduates banner says 'apply now' with the tag line: "A two year programme, a lifetime's impact. Is it for you?"

On-the-job support

Throughout the two-year programme, you will receive over one hundred hours of mentoring and supervision from a highly experienced mentor.

Mentors are seconded to Unlocked for the duration of the programme as a Mentoring Prison Officer.

The Programme

The Unlocked Graduates Leadership Development Programme offers a wide range of
benefits. We are number 22 in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers rankings. Our
programme comes with the following comprehensive package of benefits:

  • starting salary £30,000-£38,000 (dependent on location)
  • ongoing mentoring and continuing professional development
  • work placement opportunities with employers outside the prison sector
  • Fully-funded, bespoke Master’s degree focused on leadership and rehabilitation
  • Opportunity to influence Government through policy writing
  • further career opportunities in a range of industries, including government and public policy, law, consultancy, and many others
  • deferred entry partner with the Civil Service Fast Stream
  • preferential access to corporate partner schemes
  • career support after the programme is completed
  • opportunity to experience different prisons through the Prison Exchange programme
Show more

Our selection process is designed to test your potential at being successful on our two-year Leadership Development Programme and driving social change in your future career.
Once you are registered, you can complete the first part of the process which offers a real insight into the job role of a prison officer and what life is like on the Unlocked Graduates programme. There are a total of 15 fictitious scenarios that are based on real experiences of people on the programme and it will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. It does not require any preparation or knowledge of the prison system.

A prison officer talks into a radio. A tagline across the image says "Test your limits, unlock your potential"

If you successfully pass the first stage you will be emailed a link to our written application. This stage consists of four written questions with a maximum word count of 250 words per question. This gives you an opportunity to demonstrate our key attributes and why you would be great on the programme.

If your written application is successful, you will be invited to a virtual assessment centre. These will run from November and you will be offered a number of dates to choose from. The Assessment Centre will take approx. 3-4 hours. You will be evaluated according to the attributes by our team of trained assessors, including experienced prison officers and those with lived experience of the prison system. Throughout the day we will also be looking for evidence of your professional conduct and time management. At the Assessment Centre you will complete a number of activities. These are designed to assess you against the attributes that we look for in candidates and also to give you an insight into the role of a prison officer and the Unlocked Graduates programme.

Once participants complete our two-year leadership development scheme, they become Ambassadors of the Unlocked Graduates programme. Hear how Unlocked Ambassadors continue to contribute to the Unlocked Graduates mission to break cycles of reoffending. Using their exceptional leadership skills and frontline experience to impact systemic changes in prisons, the wider criminal justice system, and beyond.

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Frontline to Fast Stream

“It’s invaluable to have that frontline knowledge. You have a unique insight into a world that no one knows.” – Emily Arthorne, 2019 cohort

Read Emily’s blog
A woman looks confidently towards the sky. Text on the image says "A 2 year programme. A lifetime's impact. Is it for you?"

Apply now to Unlocked Graduates

Applications for the Unlocked Leadership and Development Programme’s 2024 cohort are currently open! This is two years to become a leader. One opportunity to change society.

Apply now
portrait of nathan white

Unlocking my potential

Unlocked Ambassador Nathan White shares his experiences and teachings from his time on the Unlocked programme.

Read Nathan’s experience