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Correctional Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Officer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in copying to prepare admission, program, release, transfer and other reports
Interest in supervising prisoners during work assignments, meals and recreation periods, and in patrolling assigned areas and reporting any problems to supervisors; may supervise and co-ordinate work of other correctional service officers
Interest in escorting prisoners in transit and during temporary leaves
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Correctional peace officers provide safety and security for offenders who:
Correctional peace officers’ duties vary depending on the security level of the correctional institution and the programs offered. In general, correctional peace officers:
They may also:
Correctional peace officers work both indoors and outdoors. They are on their feet most of the time. They work shifts, including night shifts.
The work can be stressful and hazardous. Correctional officers must always be on the alert for drugs, weapons, other banned items, inmates breaking rules, volatile behaviour, and outbreaks of violence. At federal medium- and maximum-security institutions and on escorts, they are required to carry firearms. Applicants must be comfortable knowing they may have to lawfully take a life during their career.
Correctional peace officers need:
They should enjoy:
For roles in the federal or provincial government, correctional peace officers must:
To work for the federal government, officers also need CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator) and first aid certifications.
Correctional peace officers with the federal government should have at least a high school diploma plus 2 years of relevant work experience dealing with people. Applicants with less education may succeed if they have 2 or more years of previous corrections experience or similar, know Indigenous culture and languages or have equivalent experience and knowledge. Being multilingual and having a multicultural background is a strong asset.
Employers prefer post-secondary education in a related area. Examples are correctional services, criminal justice, police studies, sociology, psychology, or criminology. Volunteer experience with people in crisis is a definite asset, especially for provincial positions where correctional peace officers are often hired as casual employees.
Interviewers assess applicants’ abilities and skills and whether they are personally suitable. If hired beyond a casual position, they are invited to attend correctional officer basic training. Federally, those who qualify are invited to attend the Correctional Service Canada Correctional Training Program (CTP).
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
In Alberta, federal correctional peace officers work in penitentiaries located in Bowden, Drumheller, Grande Cache, and Edmonton. Provincial correctional peace officers work in institutions in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and Peace River.
Some correctional peace officers work with young offenders in young offender institutions. Others work with female offenders at specific provincial centres or women’s federal institutions. Still others may work at regional psychiatric centres, minimum-security institutions, Aboriginal healing lodges, or work camps.
Moving up to supervisory or other positions depends on education, experience, personal suitability, and training.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
In the 4422: Correctional service officers occupational group, 95.1% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 4422: Correctional service officers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.7% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 58 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $29.69 | $31.56 | $30.65 | $29.79 |
| Overall | $29.69 | $39.49 | $36.55 | $37.26 |
| Top | $37.39 | $39.62 | $38.33 | $37.39 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| Public Administration | $75,595 |
|---|---|
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $75,595 |
Correctional Service Canada website: www.csc-scc.gc.ca
Government of Alberta website, Justice and Solicitor General: www.alberta.ca/ministry-justice-solicitor-general
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2019. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
