The prison has a range of Workshops that operate within the establishment that are geared to promoting Employment Skills for prisoners to be able to use at subsequent prisons they may be sent to and ultimately for use when they are released. Workshops provided range from traditional craft and practical trades training (including Textile manufacturing for both internal and external clients, recycling and woodworking, Plastic Injection Moulding and Production Laundry) to advanced training in Information Technology in our PICTA (Prison Information Technology Academy) workshop which offers CISCO accredited training.
The prison runs the Story Book Dads programme and provides a bespoke recording service for local and regional Talking Newspapers. In our Studio prisoners are able to develop skills in web design and desk top publishing for internal and external customers. This also includes our own internal Prisoner Newspaper. There are substantial grounds, including chickens for eggs which offer our prisoners the chance to develop their horticultural skills and to contribute to the local community by engagement with local Britain in Bloom events in Market Harborough.
Education, provided by Milton Keynes College, is promoted as an essential activity for new prisoners to the establishment. High standards are set in developing skill and ability up to Level 2 in Literacy, Numeracy and Information Technology, all of which are critically important both to employers and in allowing learners to achieve their full potential. HMP Gartree prides itself in having an outward-looking approach towards engaging with a diverse range of public sector, private sector and third sector organisations all of which contribute to developing employment skills and increasing the self esteem of prisoners within the establishment. There are contracts with commercial organisations to deliver qualifications in the Production Workshops, on the Residential Wings and across a wide range of employment within the prison. The prison engages with numerous local and regional Further Education Colleges to underpin the prisoners work and provide activity that stretches and develops a wide range of skills; Leicester College provides qualifications in the Production Kitchen and Gymnasium. The prison works with local Third Sector organisations including the Harborough Transition Group (running a Community Garden), U3A, Workers Education Association and Probus Leicestershire.