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Correctional Officer in BC

Correctional Officer in BC

Old Apr 29th 2020, 3:22 pm
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Default Correctional Officer in BC

Hello, I have a question for anyone from the UK who has become a correctional officer in Canada. We are looking at BC specifically, and the requirements for the job are high school graduation and English 12 with a minimum of 70%. My husband has his GCSE's, but I fear that it might not be equivalent to a high school graduation? Also, he is currently a Prison Officer here in the UK, and has been for a number of years. I don't know if experience in the job would help, or if the requirements are set in stone. Also, he will be a Permanent Resident, and can meet all other requirements, just struggling to know if he would meet the education requirement.
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Old Apr 29th 2020, 8:49 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Hi

Welcome to BE.

I'm not and never hae been employed in any kind of security service, but I do know about education.

I moved here for the UK 52+ years ago, and have been involved in the education system in various ways.

High school graduation here is equivalent to A level, ie Grade 12 and age about 18.

GCSE is equivalent to Grade 10, and therefore does not equal high school graduation.

That would not necessarily rule your husband out immediately, so wait until someone comes along who knows more about your husband's job.

How is he hoping to get PR?
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Old Apr 29th 2020, 10:53 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by scilly
Hi

Welcome to BE.

I'm not and never hae been employed in any kind of security service, but I do know about education.

I moved here for the UK 52+ years ago, and have been involved in the education system in various ways.

High school graduation here is equivalent to A level, ie Grade 12 and age about 18.

GCSE is equivalent to Grade 10, and therefore does not equal high school graduation.

That would not necessarily rule your husband out immediately, so wait until someone comes along who knows more about your husband's job.

How is he hoping to get PR?
That's different to how I've seen universities rate the equivalency.
For instance the university of Calgary gave me grade 12 (Alberta 30) for any GCSE subjects with the sole exception of chemistry as they said the curriculum had changed too much for that since I sat GCSE in the 90s. I got grade 11 for that. (Alberta 20).
For a A level I got first year university equivalency for most of those subjects. So in their eyes A levels are higher than high school here and GCSE roughly equivalent.

I know they use a fairly standardised procedure as UK curriculum is well known in Canada and all I had to present were my certificates.
Likewise my previous employer (police) also only needed GCSE for high school grade 12 equivalency. Plenty of UK police came here with just GCSE.

Last edited by pawxpaw; Apr 29th 2020 at 11:02 pm.
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Old Apr 29th 2020, 10:59 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Welcome to BE!

As an aside - Correctional Service Officers are Generally Federal employees. https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/careers/003001-index-en.shtml (jobs are advertised there)
https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc....poster=1400109 will give you the requirements they are looking for - he may be able to take the equivalency test for education. (please see links to BC jobs downthread )
Various language requirements
English Essential
French Essential
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB
Bilingual Imperative --B/--B

Information on language requirements
EDUCATION:
A secondary school diploma, or a satisfactory score on the Public Service Commission (PSC) test approved as an alternative to a secondary school diploma; or successful completion of a provincially/territorially approved secondary school equivalency test.

Note: Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. For further information, please consult link below.

Degree equivalency
OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION:
The candidate must obtain and maintain a valid Standard First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 'Level C' with automated external defibrillator (AED) certificate from a qualified provider approved by any province/territory in Canada, and in accordance with Part XVI of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

Last edited by Siouxie; Apr 30th 2020 at 1:33 am. Reason: amended to reflect information given downthread..
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Old Apr 29th 2020, 11:01 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by Siouxie
Welcome to BE!

As an aside - Correctional Service Officers are Federal employees. https://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/careers/003001-index-en.shtml (jobs are advertised there)
https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc....poster=1400109 will give you the requirements they are looking for - he may be able to take the equivalency test for education.
There are provincial correctional facilities as well as federal.
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Old Apr 29th 2020, 11:16 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by Siouxie
Yes, FACILITIES - but Correctional Officer is a Federal job according to the Govt website.
Sorry. You're wrong. There are both. I could bore you with all the ways I know this to be true, having worked in that field for years.
Short story provinces do less than 2 year sentences and handle remand. Feds do longer term facilities. In Alberta the solicitor general is the department who runs provincial corrections.

But look, here's the Alberta government advertising for jobs.


https://www.google.com/search?q=albe...bs&htivrt=jobs


And BC. https://www.google.com/search?q=bc+c...bs&htivrt=jobs
​​​​​

Last edited by Siouxie; Apr 30th 2020 at 1:16 am.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 1:09 am
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by pawxpaw
Sorry. You're wrong. There are both. I could bore you with all the ways I know this to be true, having worked in that field for years.
Short story provinces do less than 2 year sentences and handle remand. Feds do longer term facilities. In Alberta the solicitor general is the department who runs provincial corrections.

But look, here's the Alberta government advertising for jobs.


https://www.google.com/search?q=albe...bs&htivrt=jobs


And BC. https://www.google.com/search?q=bc+c...bs&htivrt=jobs
​​​​​
I stand corrected. https://bcpublicservice.hua.hrsmart....ing/view/67345

Perhaps with your advanced knowledge you could assist the OP with their questions.

Last edited by Siouxie; Apr 30th 2020 at 1:14 am.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 1:11 am
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by Siouxie
I stand corrected.

Perhaps with your advanced knowledge you could assist the OP with their questions.
I already did. Like I said I know of plenty of police who needed the grade 12 requirement and satisfied it with GCSE.
So I'd imagine corrections would be ok with it too.
Id drop them an email. Like I said GCSE are well recognised here so they'll likely tell you if they meet their specific standards easily enough.
As a fairly entry level position I'm sure they won't be too fussy. I had some dealings with the Alberta solicitor general recruitment people a few years back and they were happy with UK schooling being sufficient for here.

Last edited by pawxpaw; Apr 30th 2020 at 1:33 am.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 1:24 am
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by pawxpaw
I already did. Like I said I know of plenty of police who needed the grade 12 requirement and satisfied it with GCSE.
So I'd imagine corrections would be ok with it too.
According to the official documentation - Recruitment Process - for the BC job that I posted a link to (you need to open the pdf's links to get them) they are required to either provide equivalency to Grade 12 or else sit IELTS or similar and reach a specific grade... which would probably be easier than trying to get WES or similar to verify..

Grade 12 English with a final grade of 70% or equivalent*, as defined:
o High school transcript showing a final grade of at least 70 percent in English 12
(Communications 12 is not an acceptable equivalent); OR
o Post-secondary transcript showing a final grade of at least 70 percent in a post-secondary
academic English course that is at least equivalent to English 12 (it is the responsibility of the
applicant to prove equivalency); OR
o Proof of graduation with either a university degree from a recognized post-secondary institution
in North America or the United Kingdom; OR
o Proof of graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution outside of North
America or the United Kingdom. The degree must have been taught in English and you may be
required to have this credential verified by a designated organization.
Please refer to the IRCC website for a list of designated organizations;
OR
o Achievement of a minimum score in one of the following English language assessment tests:

ASSESSMENT SCORE/RESULT
IELTS Academic 6.5 with no part less than 6
or General
LPI 5
CLB 7+ in all parts
CELPIP General 7
CanTEST 4.5 in writing with no part less than 4.0
Accuplacer Basic 85 in reading with WritePlacer of at least 6
Accuplacer Next Generation 260 in reading with WritePlacer of at least 6

Last edited by Siouxie; Apr 30th 2020 at 1:36 am.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 2:49 am
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

[email protected]

If you haven't already that is the email for corrections recruiters, they should be able give you clearer information as to grade 12 equivalent.


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Old Apr 30th 2020, 5:48 am
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Hello, thanks all for your replies! Already very helpful! I did email BC corrections and the person on the other end of the email didn’t really seem to know much about GCSE’s. We figure we’ll see what happens when he applies for the job and hopefully whoever receives applications knows a bit more about them. BC corrections did recommend sitting an IELTs test which my husband had booked on for but now has been cancelled due to Covid-19. We are due to fly to Canada in a couple months so hopefully there will be an opportunity to write the test before we get there.

We would consider Alberta as well, it looks like they’ll take into consideration years of experience. We fear the cold winters though! Lol

Oh also, my husband has already been granted his PR through me as his sponsor as I’m a Canadian Citizen.

Thanks everyone for your replies and help, much appreciated!
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 1:11 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by Pancakes123
Hello, I have a question for anyone from the UK who has become a correctional officer in Canada. We are looking at BC specifically, and the requirements for the job are high school graduation and English 12 with a minimum of 70%. My husband has his GCSE's, but I fear that it might not be equivalent to a high school graduation? Also, he is currently a Prison Officer here in the UK, and has been for a number of years. I don't know if experience in the job would help, or if the requirements are set in stone. Also, he will be a Permanent Resident, and can meet all other requirements, just struggling to know if he would meet the education requirement.
We have English friends who work in the correctional facilities in Victoria. I will see what I can find out for you.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 5:18 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

That would be great, thanks!
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 7:52 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

Originally Posted by Pancakes123
That would be great, thanks!
My friend has 2 O levels and his qualifications as a welder. If you have experience as a Prison Officer in the UK, it shouldn’t be an issue at all. I know they like anybody with experience such as Officers and Military people too. He will need a BC Driver’s license too as that’s a requirement here. Doubt he’ll get on in a Federal jail as it’s dead man’s shoes, but shouldn’t be an issue in Provincial. There’s the one here and then the relatively new one in the Okanagan.
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Old Apr 30th 2020, 8:59 pm
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Default Re: Correctional Officer in BC

I have US grade 12 so not exactly the same, but I have never been asked to ever prove I graduated, only asked if I had grade 12. Maybe the government requires proof, dunno, but private sector jobs certainly don't seem to.

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