From changing sockets to changing lives

Alesha enjoyed the banter and pace of her career in engineering, but with two children to look after, who had a growing trainer habit, she was keen to find a more secure and rewarding line of work.

A colleague was applying for a role as a Prison Officer at HMP Ashfield and suggested Alesha did too.

Image of Alesha from the be different campaign as an engineer examining tools from a labelled tool cupboard

At the interview, Alesha was surprised to find that many of the skills she’d acquired in her current job were useful as a Prison Officer. Things like attention to detail, accountability, communication skills and patience. She got the job.

Alesha found working in a prison could be tough at times, and occasionally she went home exhausted, but never a day passed without a proper belly laugh.

Image of Alesha from the be different campaign smiling while holding open a prison gate

She progressed into a role in the Induction Team, teaching prisoners the rules and regulations and although it’s sometimes pretty chaotic, she loves the fact that every day is different.

After 20 years of working in prisons, on and off, Alesha still loves what she does and would recommend anyone, from any walk of life, to do it. And now she has two teenage granddaughters with a never-ending need for trainers, she’s in it for the long-haul.

I still get that feeling of achievement when you know you’ve gained the trust and respect from prisoners. I love the teamwork, the jokes, the colleagues. The friendships you build are strong, as trust is important and needed in this job.

Alesha Miller
Prison Officer

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