They range in age from 20 to 58, their backgrounds include Brazilian, Indian and Vietnamese and they come from careers as diverse as law and customer service – meet the largest group of correctional officers ever recruited in South Australia.
A record 32 graduates – part of Course 211 – will join the workforces of all six public prisons, helping to ensure the safety of prisoners, fellow officers and the community.
The diverse cohort, made up of 19 men and 13 women, has completed eight weeks of classroom-based training, four weeks of in-service training and nine months in probationary roles.
This is the first group to graduate in 2025 and tops the previous graduation record of 30 recruits.
The cohort also graduates with new knowledge in autism after completing autism awareness train
ing, delivering on the Department for Correctional Services’ commitment to the state’s first Autism Inclusion Charter.
The next group, due to graduate in July, boasts 35 new correctional officers – making it an even bigger cohort than the current record course of 32 recruits.
Among the new graduates was Bruno Garibaldi, who worked as a lawyer in Brazil and said he wanted to return to his roots in law and justice after obtaining permanent residency in Australia.
"I became a sheriff’s officer in Port Lincoln and a friend of mine who works for DCS suggested I should apply to be a correctional officer," Mr Garibaldi said.
"The transition from courts to corrections has been challenging and rewarding – the focus here is not just on enforcement, but also on rehabilitation and reintegration."
Mr Garibaldi said he was enjoying working with a great team and having the opportunity to help prisoners in a new environment.
"There are so many professional growth opportunities in the Department, and I personally would love to become a supervisor," he said.
"I recommend to anyone thinking of becoming a correctional officer to apply for it, because you can make a difference and every day is different."
To learn more about becoming a correctional officer, click here.
