Dom B

Hmm, better have a look to see if i have one! Cheers Ash cos like anne says i think that will help a lot!

ann m

I know more recently (as in way before my time!), the probationers in my force did receive a formal certificate outlining what their studies had entailed. It could be counted as segments towards other quals if people wanted it that way, ie, towards City & Guilds or BTec's or something.

I know for the usual Skilled Worker route to a visa with the immigration dept, that police courses have been used to bump up other qualifications. I'm not sure why Edmonton Police would need to be more strict than the High Commission on proving high school quals, but you guys should certainly be able to prove more than a Gr 12 education if you have had your heads stuck in the law books for a two-year constable's probation period. Even things like being a tutor constable, a 4 month dog course, a 12 week ARV course, or a 8 week CID course, etc - this is all tuition above and beyond Gr 12 !

Anyway - good luck with it all

Ashleyg

So how did you find your trip out to Edmonton?

Dom B

Trip was ace mate! Did a lot of having a really good look round and really liked the place. Found it very different to Calgary, seemed to have a bit more character, but to be fair, we only stayed in Calgary one night... Both are lovely cities though!

Found prices similar to home bearing in mind the exchange rate, but like i kept saying to the mrs, once your there you have to stop comparing it to home and see how far your wages stretch. That said, i think it'd be comfortable. Drinking in pubs on average is $6-$7 a pint (but they do happy hours etc) so £3 ish a pint is not much different to going out over here! Drinking in the house or buying beer in isn't cheap as you can't get it from supermarket, you have to go to Liquor Stores so i bought 6 cans of Canadian Lager, small coke size cans for $11.. I enjoyed em though!

We met a lot of English people out there who have all recently moved there (Like in the last 5 years) and all are very happy with the place. Most of the english we spoke to have all wanted to come home at somepoint but then they have thery've realised how good they've got it out there... Their words "We wouldn't have the quality of life, money, prospects in England that we do here!" 2 of the lads were computer technicians and one of them albeit living at home owns a brand new Ford Mustang GT $42,000 = £25,000. Could he afford that in England... Question answers itself really!

One of the lads an ex army sgt said that nothing would make him leave Edmonton and come home, i felt that this was encouraging as he'll have seen places all over the world and he likes Canada THAT much that he'll not leave!

Had a look at houses and the newer estates out towards the west are lovely! Definately something we'd be looking at if/when we move there.

One good point was the mall, its SO BIG that the Mrs couldn't be bothered shopping, how good is that? ha ha ha! No seriously its a smart place and apparently the place to go out when the big minus temperatures come. They have tons of bars, and places to eat so it's a good laugh, would be interested to see if you can ice skate drunk though... ha ha ha! That'd be fun.

Downtown is a nice place and thats where we stayed. My mate let us stay with him right in the heart. He showed us the rough bit near the bus station, but again, on the grand scheme of things, it didn;t seem that rough. My mate said it was dodgy, but the worst he's ever had in the bad area was offered drugs, dodgy, but never felt threatened in any way he said...

Didn't do much cop stuff as wanted to try and get a feel for the actual place rather than visiting the Police stations and talking to the bobbies there... I can chat to em on here or email them off the EPS website if i need anything so just decided to get out there and have a good luck!

Was in the pub at 12.30 Last wednesday for the England game, the pub wasn't full, but hey, suppose not everyone could get time off... They apparently get all the English Footy, although it's on at daft times such as first thing in the morning etc due to time difference.. All in all, pretty much home from home, plus whatever else you make it. I found all the people, both english and Canadian absolutely brilliant people and everyone seemed happy, be it working, out for dinner, in the pub. Never did we feel like strangers who were gonna get their heads kicked in for walking in the wrong bar and looking at someone funny... or maybe we just didn't go in those bars? The biggest selling point for us was the couple of hour drive to the mountains! OH MY GOD! Absolutely gorgeous! The second biggest selling point was that in the 9 days we spent there, we didn't encounter rude, ignorant people once! Until we got on the plane home with all the English... Even when i got given the finger for messing up on my first time driving on the wrong side, it was almost in a polite way!..

Can't think of much else to tell now i've rambled on so long, but i'm sold on the place, and i'm fairly certain that my Mrs is a lot more keen on the idea having spent some time there!... My advice, book a flight and go see the place. I didn't see anything i didn't like! I've been colder tonight in 9 degrees than i was there in 2. Its wierd!

Dom

Ashleyg

Sounds like you had a really good time!

We are off out there about Feb time, depending on what the EPS comeback is that might change as to fit it in around testing. It sounds like we are both on a very similar application timeline which is cool - my application is in and awaiting IQAS but due to my laser eye surgery it cant proceed until december which is my three month checkup.

Did you manage to find your police training certificate?

Dom B

Yeah had a top time mate! I sent my IQAS while there though!..

Couldn't find a certificate... I've spoken to people who joined around my time but they all said that we just got a no good certificate certifying us in the rank. Nowt to do with exams or study like you have! Oh well, never mind, will see what happens eh?

So, how do you go on wi the December time thing for laser eyes? Do they start your app then or what?? I got told i was potentially at march, but i'll just see what happens!

Ashleyg

Steve at EPS recruiting spoke to me, basically its gone through papersift and my app is ready to proceed onto testing (pending IQAS) but i have to redo my eyesight test in December to confirm the surgery worked so i can move onto a testing date.

Dom B

Cool, nice one! While i was there Steve told me it was looking like march to go out for testing so, will see eh... Good luck, let me know how you get on with IQAS
Dom