Canada has experienced some major changes in the past decade, with events like 9/11 affecting security around the world, and the Canadian oil boom in the western provinces. Take the aftermath of these events and add a generation of ready-to-retire baby boomers, and you’ll find that prospects are looking good for recent grads interested in law enforcement and EMS careers.
Post-9/11, the U.S. quickly took steps to beef up its security, and Canada followed suit as prime minister Jean Chrétien pledged $7.7 billion to fight terrorism and ensure public safety. Government measures opened up law enforcement jobs at all levels, from border control to provincial police forces. Today, employment prospects in law enforcement are on the rise as Canada continues its efforts to bolster national security. Last year showed the second-largest annual increase of police officers over the past 30 years, according to Statistics Canada’s most recent reports, with over 64,000 officers employed across the country.
The RCMP recently reinvigorated recruiting in an effort to keep up with the demand for security forces and to account for an expected exodus of retiring officers in the coming years. An $800,000 national advertising campaign, aimed at 18-34 year-olds, was recently launched in hopes of recruiting 2,000 new RCMP officers annually. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), an organization created in the aftermath of 9/11 to oversee all aspects of Canadian border operations, also continues to actively recruit young people.
Career options in emergency medical services (EMS) are also looking good, albeit for very different reasons. Canada’s national job-futures statistics project continued growth in the EMS field for 2009, in large part due to an aging population and expected numbers of retiring workers.
Competition in the EMS field remains tough, so qualified workers willing to relocate have the best chances of finding work – especially if they’re heading west. As more of the population, spurred by the oil boom, has shifted westwards in recent years, this area is likely to offer the most opportunities. In Alberta, the occupational group of ambulance attendants and paramedics is expected to grow at least 2.1 percent per year through 2011 – and that doesn’t take employee turnover into consideration, which is also expected to increase with the retiring baby boom generation.
For both EMS and law enforcement work, applicants generally must be at least 19 years old, and hold a high school diploma. When it comes to law enforcement careers, be prepared for a rigorous application process, which includes a written exam, a background check, and a physical fitness test. Training is generally paid for. Those looking to enter the EMS field must pay for their own training, which can cost $1,500 to $3,000 per semester for a two-year program. This is followed by a certificate exam.
A CBSA officer’s annual salary ranges from $51,000 to $55,000, while RCMP officers start at about $44,000, increasing to $72,000. Both RCMP and CBSA officers receive family health and dental coverage, as well as pension plans. Police at the municipal and federal level can expect similar compensation and benefits. Payment for EMS jobs depends on experience. The national average wage of an ambulance paramedic is $20.96 hourly, but entry-level paramedics can start at $14.00.
Rural areas with difficulty attracting workers may pay more. Pension and health plans are often benefits for full-time paramedics. Canada’s job market has changed in recent years, but for young graduates interested in law enforcement or EMS work, there’s only good news as prospects in these areas continue to expand.
Both paramedics and police officers have to deal with long hours, stress and potentially dangerous situations – and they’re not exactly getting six-figure salaries for it either. So, what’s the appeal? After talking to two people in the field, it turns out that these might just be some of the most rewarding careers out there.
Just ask Stu McKinnon, a paramedic with the Muskoka Ambulance Services in Ontario. Stu always knew he wanted to get into the healthcare field, so after receiving his Bachelor of Science from Trent University, he went on to get a paramedic diploma at CTS College in Sudbury, ON. He’s been with the Muskoka Ambulance Services one year now, and has no doubt that the work it took to get here was worth it.
“Many people call the job ‘thankless’, however, even without a ‘thank you', the satisfaction of knowing that we can improve a patient's health, or even save their life, is thanks enough,” he says. “It’s a rewarding career.”
While McKinnon was lucky enough to find work in his hometown, he points out that paramedicine is difficult to get into. “Finding a job as a paramedic in Ontario is extremely competitive,” he says, adding that most paramedics must be willing to relocate when first finding work. “The best advice I can offer to people working towards a career in paramedicine is to learn as much as possible about the health care field,” he says.
Any experience is an asset, and will improve your chances of getting into a training program and, later, landing a job. "Many schools look at co-op experience in the health field, first aid and CPR certification, volunteer work, or anything a student may have accomplished to introduce themselves to the healthcare field.”
Like Stu McKinnon, RCMP officer Kevin Van Alstine couldn’t be happier with his job. Currently working as a police constable with the Queens District RCMP in Charlottetown, PEI, Kevin has had his sights on an RCMP job for years. “It has always been a boyhood dream to be a police officer,” he writes via email, and he never wavered from his childhood dream.
After high school, Van Alstine went on to earn a diploma in law and security from Fleming College in Peterborough, ON, and then applied to the RCMP. “The application process begins with a written aptitude test, and is followed by interviews, medical and fitness tests, and more,” he says.
Of the more than 8,000 applications received each year, Van Alstine’s was one of about 1,000 accepted to attend the RCMP training program in Regina. Training covers everything “from classes in law, to fitness and self defense,” Kevin explains. After successfully completing his training, Van Alstine was sworn in as a police constable in June 2007.
While Van Alstine has dreamed of a policing career since he was a kid, and chose his path accordingly, the RCMP is open to people with all kinds of experience. “If you have a desire, a dream, which is more than a passing whim, and if you think you have what it takes… go for it,” he advises. “If you’re considering law enforcement, you want to work with the best and the best is the RCMP.”
If you think you might be interested in an EMS or policing career, don’t let the rigorous training and application processes deter you. Judging from Stu’s and Kevin’s experiences, these are rewarding jobs, and the hard work it takes to them is well worth the effort. jp