Now he wants to be a corrections officer!
By soccermom
@soccermom (3198)
United States
June 20, 2007 4:24pm CST
So my hubby had jury duty Monday and had a two hour lunch break so he went to visit his dad at work. His dad is a retired police sargeant who is doing background checks and hiring corrections officers for the new county jail that is soon to open here. One of his coworkers offered my hubby an application and he took it! He has it filled out and his dad is going to have him "fast tracked" so he can get hired as soon as possible. I'm totally thrown off by this. I thought he liked his job as a machinist, but he told me that he thinks he'd like being a corrections officer, it's not a very big initial pay cut for us, the benefits are better, he'd have better retirement, etc.. He says he worries that if there was another 9/11 the place he works for now would tank, as manufacturing in the area we live tends to suffer worse than in other parts of the country, for whatever reason. I understand where he is coming from, but for some reason I am worried. I told him I'd support whatever decision he makes, and honestly I don't know to much about being a corrections officer, maybe I'm worried that it's dangerous. I just don't know! Has your significant other ever been on one career path and then suddenly chose another? How did it make you feel?
2 people like this
12 responses
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
20 Jun 07
Wow, such a change in a career must be scary for the both of you, while he is excited to be going towards this direction I am sure you are concerned in many areas. I think as a corrections officer he would have more job security than working as a machinest, my son is a machinest and you never know when the company is going to be around tomorrow, but fortunately we will always have jails and he will always have a job, that is the good thing and then again, the health insurance is a big plus for you with the children, that alone is a bonus in anyone's eyes. The other day my boyfriend told me thought he might be laid off from work and I got scared since he is the main breadwinner of the family but I was blessed and he got busy again and hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) he is not getting laid off anytime soon! Congrats on the new job!
2 people like this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
23 Jun 07
That's our problem too, job security as a machinst. He has decent benefits now, but no retirement or pension, and he's afraid of ending up to be like one of the "lifers" at the shop. But we worry about layoffs all the time too, it's hard.
@kodie420 (872)
• Canada
20 Jun 07
Well I see where your coming from but am glad to hear you support him. Personally to me I dont think I would change to a job like that because it seems alittle dangerous being around all those violent criminals especially without the proper training. Anyways just recently something along this line happen to me and my girlfriend the only thing was she dropped down to part time to go back to school and we have 3 kids and alot of bills and now its harder but overall I support her wanting to better herself and like you guys in the long run after shes done school and got a job in the profession she picked, we will be much better off in the long term. We talked about it before anything was done but it sounds like your husband just went ahead and applied without talking to you first which is why I could see you being alittle mad or hurt. Anyways I wish you and your husband all the luck in the world and with his new job!
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
23 Jun 07
He talked to me about it, maybe I'm lousy, but all I really have to say to him about it is to do what makes him happy and what he thinks is best for our family.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
21 Jun 07
I do not have a significant other but I probably would be a little concerned about changing jobs that involved being a corrections officer. It is a bit more of a high risk job since he will be dealing with criminals, some of which are violent and some that are not violent. I would not want to be a corrections officer. I think your husband will be okay but will need to be careful. It was his decision to change jobs and if that is what he wants to do then he should do it and see if he likes it better.
1 person likes this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
23 Jun 07
He was in the Marines and thinks he may be more suited for this kind of work than I think. I just worry that he'll hate it and end up job hunting again.
@4cuteboys (4099)
• United States
22 Jun 07
I applied to be a corrections officer. I went thru the application process online, and they never contacted me. Stinks! I really wanted to do it too. The pay was not too bad IMO-started around 40K i think! I could live with that. The training at Glynco in Georgia and I had gotten excited about doing it, but nothing! I figure once I have my baby I'll re-apply and see if they call or what not. But if I were in your situation I would support my hubby too. I tell him often whatever he wants to do we'll make it work. I lived next to a corrections officer and yes, it was dangerous at times and he was only working at a minimum security place.
My hubby has been military and I feel its dangerous, but whatever he wants to do i'll be there for him. He's a great guy. He talks about getting a masters in library sciences and being a librarian when he gets out of the military. Thats a pretty big change, and probably not alot of money, but I always say we can make it work no matter what.
1 person likes this
@LadyK2 (71)
• United States
20 Jun 07
I have a very good friend who is a corrections officer and loves it. It supports his family very well, and is not dangerous. BUT - he is not in a high security prison. He is in a prison where most are low level offenders. You're always going to have "anything can happen/go wrong" no matter what job you're in.
My husband shifted gears in what he wanted as a career a few years ago - and it has made him very happy. It was something he wanted and I said go for it. We've gone through several very tight years financially because of it, but now we are better off than we would have been if he had stayed where he was.
Corrections officers have steady jobs, great benefits and the ability to move around once in the city/county/state system. And in some cases, he can even take that job to a new state - if you decided to move and there was an opening.
2 people like this
@Hksmr2rbo (37)
• United States
21 Jun 07
my brother is a corrections officer and honestly doesn't seem that bad. if the benefits are better and he can get hired right away might as well take it.
1 person likes this
@lucy02 (5016)
• United States
21 Jun 07
Yes my husband was in car sales and he is now doing route sales. I don't like him being on the road so much and he has to buy his own gas. The commissions aren't that good either.
There are no benefits with the company he works for now. He seems to be happy so I try to adjust but I still don't like the company he works for. I think that the corrections officer would be a good job, however. I don't honestly know too much about the dangers though.
1 person likes this
@awonderfullife (2893)
• United States
23 Jun 07
I used to date a guy who was a corrections officer. I'd say it's a tad more dangerous than being a machinist. But being a machinist can be a very monontonous job (my ex hubby was one). I'm sure being a corrections offcer would be much more interesting for your hubby. Sometimes a change in career can be just what a person needs. Glad you're suppostive of it. Good luck!
@OURDEW (4809)
• United States
23 Jun 07
My husband is also a machinist and he sometimes gets so aggravated at work, he thinks about changing to a different career. He has been a machinist for over 20 years. I just hope if he does decide to change, it turns out for the better. Good luck to your husband.
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
21 Jun 07
I have personally done that...I spent a small fortune going to nursing school then after 10 years decided that I did not want to do that anymore...too much stress....so I went to school and became a real estate agent...
I can imagine that thinking about you hubby being a corrections officer would be a little intimidating....kind of scary....but they will train him and the manufacturing career can leave a person high and dry...let's face it...there will always be convicts...LOL
I know that you will support his decision...talk to him about your fears...it is always best to get these things out in the open...then you can face it together...Good Luck, my friend...
