Parole officers are employed by the Correctional Service of Canada, and by private agencies under contract to the Correctional Service of Canada. Those employed by the Correctional Service of Canada must complete a 1-year probation. Advancement to section supervisor and area manager positions is based on merit and experience.
Probation officers are employed by the Government of Alberta.
Parole and probation officers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 4155: Probation and Parole Officers and Related Occupations. In Alberta, 96% of people employed in this classification work in Public Administration (pdf) industry.
The employment outlook (pdf) in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Public Administration industry)
- Location in Alberta
- Employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
- Occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
- Size of the occupation
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, the 4155: Probation and parole officers and related occupations occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 0% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 0 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.