National Skills Week continues, NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan has visited Long Bay Correctional Centre to see first-hand how inmates are gaining qualifications that set them up for meaningful employment after release.

The visit showcased the extensive vocational training programs run by Corrective Services Industries (CSI).

At Long Bay, industries range from baking and printing to food services, laundry, administration, electrotechnology and logistics. Together, they provide inmates with the chance to learn skills, gain recognised qualifications through TAFE NSW, and prepare for jobs in sectors facing workforce shortages.

The bakery at Long Bay has been operating for nearly three decades and now produces almost 900,000 loaves of bread, more than 600,000 sausage rolls and over a million muffins each year. Goods are distributed to correctional centres across NSW, saving taxpayer dollars while giving inmates valuable, job-ready training. At present, 45 inmates work in the bakery, with nine undertaking a Certificate II in Baking.

The prison’s print unit, meanwhile, employs 30 inmates, 11 of whom are completing apprenticeships or traineeships. The unit manufactures signage, graphics, packaging, promotional products and other print materials for government and private clients. Inmates can progress from Certificate II to Certificate III in Printing, building industry-standard skills on modern equipment.

Evidence shows these programs make a real difference. A 2021 Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research study found inmates who complete traineeships in custody are up to 60 per cent less likely to reoffend. The impact was particularly significant for Aboriginal trainees, with a marked reduction in returns to custody.

Minister Whan said the visit to Long Bay during National Skills Week highlighted the importance of giving people in custody opportunities to learn new skills.

“Vocational training changes lives. These programs help inmates prepare for work, reduce reoffending, and strengthen communities by ensuring people leave custody with qualifications and a better chance at rebuilding their lives,” he said.