Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Hi all
I have just received my written job offer from NZ Corrections and have been given Wanganui regional prison. I don't know if this is good or not, I wanted Hawkes Bay but was told there are no vacancies there????????? I have a wife and 4 week old child if anyone can please give me some gen on Wanganui, the area, crime, good/bad areas, climate (can't stand cold), I dont even know where in Wanganui the prison is, is it a child friendly place (not the prison the area)please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

i live in Wellingotn whic is about 2 or 2.5 hours away. The closest ive been to Wanginui is Palmerston North, so i cant give you too much info.

Here is a website in case you want to read up yourself. The plus side is that cost of living would probably be relatively low..

http://www.wanganui.com/

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Wanganui is a quiet, unpretentious small city - I spent 20 years there while my children grew up. It has a nice centre and all the usual amenities. Climate wise - temperate. Housing used to be very cheap but prices have increased quite a bit - still much cheaper than Auckland, Wellington or here in Napier. Best area to live is St Johns Hill, worst area is considered to be Castlecliff . The prison is at Kaitoke - just outside Wanganui.

I'm suprised there are no vacancies at the Napier prison - I think it's going to be expanded soon. I prefer Napier to Wanganui - better lifestyle and better sailing but Wanganui is not a bad place to live.

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Hi K9s

Well I don't know what to say!!!!...our choice was Hawkes Bay too and Paul was definately told that there were vacancies everywhere!!!!

I'm not sure that i like what's going on with the NZ corrections service..they don't seem to be giving correct info!!

Anyway well done for getting offered a job :) are you going to take it?

Wanganui is our 3rd choice if paul gets offered a job...schools seem ok and house prices cheaper than in Hawkes Bay!!!

Laura

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Hi

what sort of timescale have they given you?..I have family in auckland but knew that wasn't an option as we would get more points for job offer outside auckland...Paul is getting a tad fed up as he has emailed them twice now with various questions and no reply yet!!!
do you know if they have a pension scheme and is it non contributory?
at the rate his application is progressing we'll probably get given the new prsion in otago which i'm afraid is a definate no no ...i want warmer winter weather not the same!!!

Laura

Laura

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

OOPs :o ...just read your bit about no pension!!!..have to say they are not making it a very attractive proposition!!!

laura

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Laura
They asked me when I would be looking at moving, I said about November time all being well selling the house. what questions did you e-mail them I might be able to answer them for you

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Hi

paul asked if there was a pension scheme...obviously not!!!..what the shift patterns were..in particular how many weekends were worked..paul only works 1 in 3 now and whether there would be any help in finding accommodation(not financial more practible)..and also he asked what the starting salary is although i think that he already knows the answer to this..i think he was hoping he was wrong though!!!

paul has just come in from work and i have broken the news about the pension..he is not overly impressed.. I have to say that as much as we want to go I am beginning to think that financially it would be a backward step..i have no problems with it being a sideways step..but backwards!!! :(

laura

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Pensions schemes are not the norm in NZ in the same way as in NZ - so do not be surprised about that. Three weeks annual leave is also the statutary minimum, bank holidays (known as statuary holidays) are on top, so this is not necessarily as bad as it sounds. I believe that the minimum holiday pay is to be increased to four weeks? Can someone in NZ confirm?

Merlot

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

I think the holiday pay is going to be increased to 4 weeks from 2007 but don't quote me on that that is general for the whole of NZ. Its a bit different from the 7 weeks most prison officers get here

From what i was told the shifts for weekends are about 1 in 3 but depends what jail and what department you work in

From my job offer the pay has increased ( don't get to excited) $34,486 paid fortnightly revised to $35,348
$36,062 revised to $36,964 after 01st July 2005

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Wow, 7 weeks - that is truly impressive! Just as well you are not thinking of moving to the USA, the shock would be terrible! My husband has to do shiftwork while in NZ, and there is a system of days off in lieu for weekend shifts. Perhaps this may apply in your case?

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Hi K9s my partner and I moved from the UK to Wanganui 15 months ago.The weather is not too cold in winter and not too hot in the simmer.There are plenty of amenities for children and the cost of houses is cheaper than most areas.The prison is being extended to double the size (I have done some work in there as a plumber) The wages you quote are about the average for Wanganui you wont get rich here but you may enjoy the lifestyle.A little tip bring everything with you even if you think you wont need it, because you will

drv

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

DRV

Why would you need to take everything with you> What do you mean by this? Also how far from Hamilton and the coast are you? What is the average house price in a very good area for a three bed detached in Wanganui? Is there much to do for adults and kids alike? and what is the population density?

Thanks Suze

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

Suze

How did your other half's interview go on the 27th? has he got an idea if he got it? are you going to take it and where did he ask for and did they say yes????????????

K9s

Re: Job Offer In Wanganui
 

hI K9

Yes he did attend the interview yesterday in London. It went ok but you never can tell with these things. They even interviewed me and the kids as well and asked what my thoughts were on emigrating to NZ!!! I definitely wasn't dressed for the ocassion as we had taken the kids along for sight seeing but was just waiting for my husband.

The 3 interviewers seemed to steer us towards Wanganui, as they said Auckland area and surrounding prisons including Hawke's Bay were not an option. Not too sure about this as it is smack bang in the middle of NZ north island and we would have preferred to have been near to the coast.

Apart from this they said that we would hear within approximately two weeks but they would be looking at start times for March 2006.

Regards Suze