Meet the elite amateur boxer whose role at HMP Onley keeps him on his toes

Joe Taylor, 20, joined the service as a prison officer two years ago and is hoping to progress to a physical education instructor (PEI) role in the future. He is now urging others to join him and says people with similar challenges shouldn’t be discouraged as they too can play a role in helping to keep the public safe and rehabilitate prisoners.

Joe competes in the 60kg lightweight division and has won midlands and Warwickshire titles, beating fellow elite amateurs from around the country. He recently won Gold at the Hull Box Cup, the largest Olympic-style boxing tournament in England for all age groups.

His next ambition is to win a national title and, maybe in the future, turn professional. Joe says:  

“I started boxing when I was ten. I was overweight, getting into trouble and having a few problems at school. I was diagnosed with ADHD, so my mum took me to the local boxing club, and I never looked back.

“It taught me discipline and to control myself, and it gave me a focus. It’s opened up a lot of opportunities for me and allowed me to box for titles, having success and travelling around the country.

“At first when I joined the prison service, I was conscious about what the prisoners would think, and how they would see me, being a boxer, and having ADHD but it helps me relate to a great number of them, and helps build a good rapport. They take an interest in how I’m doing.

“I think it is important to be honest, open and transparent as a prison officer, to be yourself and be as straight up and as honest as you can be. People respect you for that, which gets you along way.”

Joe says with training before and after work, his lifestyle can be hectic but he likes to be busy. He says he tries to encourage prisoners with similar difficulties to put their energy into gaining employment, taking training courses and qualifications, or channelling their energy into sport like he does. He says:

"It was difficult concentrating at school, and keeping myself to myself, but since joining the prison service I’ve matured a lot.

“I’d 100 per cent encourage other young people to join the prison service. Everyone has good and bad days in the job, but you have to keep a positive outlook. In any career, you’re going to face adversity.

“My dad is a prison officer and he wasn’t sure when I told him I was joining. It’s a challenging environment and having that in common has actually helped our relationship. We understand the work environment and the pressures of the job.

“It will be tough at first starting out as a prison officer, especially when you’re young, but as you progress and understand the role more, you realise it’s no different from any other job in that respect.

“You don’t need qualifications to be a prison officer, you just need to be able to talk to people, understand the situation you are in, and be able to think and act quickly on the spot.

“There is no feeling quite like going home or to training at the end of a long day, thinking to yourself ‘I really made a difference today.”

HMP Onley is looking for caring people with good communication and influencing skills and effective decision-making. 

Applications for prison officer roles at HMP Onley are now open. Those who would like to take the first step towards a rewarding new career can apply or find out more by visiting https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/prison-officer/?utm_campaign=prc_onley_JoeTaylor&utm_medium=media&utm_source=pr