Essential Skills

Essential skills is something that you need to have in order to get the job you want. This would include being patient, listening to others and understanding.
I am currently doing practicum at the Young offenders centre which I really enjoy! It teaches me that I have to be patient with the kids and to help them become a better person. I have used these skills by listening to others, following the rules, being patient.

Listening to others is extremely important, especially in this career. As a probation officer and even border services officer it requires good listening skills as you will be working with many different people. At the young offenders centre, this is extremely important because the offenders always have things to say about everything and you have to listen to them, sometimes you even need to eavesdrop just to make sure they are not keeping any secrets such as assaulting someone, planning on escaping etc…

Following the rules is also important because when you don’t follow the rules you can get into serious trouble. When I first started at the young offenders centre I was given a list of rules of what I can do and not do while doing my practicum and the basic rules they have, and I then had to sign that I will obey the rules.

Another thing that is important is patience, you have to be patient with these kids at the young offenders centre. Some kids will take longer to change, or recover than others. The hard part is you cant change the person, but you can help change. The only person that can change is themselves, which can take time. Its the same thing with little kids when you potty train them, teach them the basic skills, it takes time and patience. We tell them its their choice and the choice they make will have consequences which can be good or bad.