Careers and Opportunities
Watch this space for information on careers and opportunities of special interest to students in Criminology and Community Criminal Justice programs. We will post information about both paid work and volunteer opportunities.
WHAT'S NEW? Co-op Opportunities in Criminology and Community Criminal Justice
WHAT'S NEW? Co-op Opportunities in Criminology and Community Criminal Justice
Interested in continuing your studies at Kwantlen and making connections, getting paid work experience and getting a foot into the door of an organization in your industry?
Students in the Co-opertive Education (Co-op) program:
- Alternate between semesters of work and semesters of academic studies
- Earn wages to help defray educational costs
- Apply their classroom learning in the field, including enforcement/administration of regulations, research skills, working with social justice issues, and more
Students eligible for the Co-op program must be registered or conditionally accepted into the following degree programs: BA in Criminology or BA in Community Criminal Justice, have completed 45 credit hours, and have a minimum GPA of 2.7 prior to their first work term.
TIPS FOR PLANNING AND SUCCESS
- Prepare early. It takes two semesters to prepare to go out on your first work term. One semester to take COOP 1101, and one semester to apply to jobs and secure a placement.
- COOP 1101—seats are limited per program. You indicate your interest in taking this course one semester prior by following the steps outlined on our site: www.kwantlen.ca/coop to enroll in Co-op. You will be notified if you are given access to register, based on seat availability. Registration is first come first serve, once access is granted.
- Jobs are not guaranteed. Remember if you do not have related experience, then your flexibility, open mindedness, and effort towards your first work term can lead to success.
COMMITTMENT
- Students are expected to complete three 4-month work terms as a part of their program requirements, so a commitment from the student is expected.
- Your last semester must be an academic term so you need to plan to complete your Co-op requirements prior to your last semester of school.
- Students register into a Co-op work term course for each 4-month term of employment.
- Students pay 4.5 credits per work term and are registered in 9 additive credits (non-academic), which do not count towards your degree requirement. This also maintains full-time student status. Students complete work term course assignments online.
MORE INFORMATION
Information sessions about the benefits of Co-op are offered each term. To register or for more information, refer to www.kwantlen.ca/coop.
Communications Operator: Burnaby RCMP Communications Centre
Put your criminology background to work as a Communications Operator with the Burnaby RCMP Communications Centre.
- Be part of an energetic, dedicated & passionate team helping to make Burnaby a safer place.
- You will be answering 911 and non-emergency calls and providing excellent service to the citizens of Burnaby.
- The ability to work in a high paced team environment is crucial.
- The ability to calmly & effectively communicate in stressful situations is an essential skill.
- We operate 24/7, so scheduling flexibility is important.
The starting wage is $24.72 per hour (including 12% in lieu of benefits). Apply today!
www.burnaby.ca/careers
Volunteer Opportunities with Cameray Child and Family Services – Specialized Child and Youth Victim Support
Cameray Child and Family Services - Specialized Child and Youth Victim Support Program is a charitable non-profit Society committed to providing advocacy and support to children and youth under 19 years who have been victims/witnesses of crime and trauma. The Specialized Victim Support Program offers emotional support, court preparation and court accompaniment to children and their families. If you are committed to the empowerment of children, have excellent communication skills and empathetic in nature, this may be the placement for you.
Program information can be found at www.cameray.ca and click on Programs. Or call Kat Fong, Child and Youth Victim Support Program Manager, 604.520.0009 ext 26.
Loss Prevention Officer - full and part-time positions
Please visit www.monster.ca and search for Loss Prevention
Volunteer Opportunities with Surrey Crime Prevention Society
Are you considering a career in law enforcement, psychology, or in community-based organizations? Are you passionate about giving back to your community? Do you enjoy meeting new people, having fun, and learning new skills? If so, we want to hear from you!
Surrey Crime Prevention Society has been supporting community safety and public awareness programs in the City of Surrey since 1984. We are committed to aligning with the goals of our community partners to enhance community safety in Surrey. Our dedicated and qualified volunteers are a frequent presence at community events throughout Surrey, such as Fusion Festival, Canada Day Celebration, Cloverdale Rodeo, Vaisaki Parade, and more!
A few of our current programs include:
- Community Safety Tours in the areas of Downtown Surrey, Fleetwood, Guildford, and Newton
- Traffic Safety Program – Speed Watch, Fatal Vision, and Drunk Busters
- Anti-graffiti (in partnership with the City of Surrey By-Laws Enforcement Department)
- Citizen’s Community Safety Watch
These programs operate primarily on foot and on bicycles. Citizen’s Community Safety Watch is operated in vehicles.
Volunteer safety is important to us, so our volunteers work in pairs and have constant communication available with Program Coordinators via hand-held radios.
Visit www.preventcrime.ca to find out more information and to fill out a volunteer application form.
All of our volunteers must complete a criminal record check through the RCMP as part of the application process.
Facebook: /SurreyCrimePreventionSociety
Twitter: @PreventCrimes
Volunteer Opportunities with New Westminster Police Victim Assistance Unit
New Westminster Police Victim Assistance Unit is a registered non-profit society committed to providing 24 hour/7 days a week services to victims of crime and trauma and their families. The Victim Assistance Unit is comprised of staff and volunteers who provide on scene assistance, emotional support, court updates and outcomes. Are you: empathic and non-judgmental, excellent in communication skills, able to handle stressful situations and are willing to be trained in a classroom and field setting, then this volunteer opportunity may be for you.
Program information can be found at www.nwpolice.org and click on Victims Assistance.
Volunteer Opportunities with CHIMO Crisis Services
CHIMO Crisis Services is a non-profit organization in Richmond that offers practical experience through unique volunteer opportunities. Whether you need to complete a course component, require a reference for grad school, or want to get involved in a volunteer program that will give you some practical experience related to your field of studies, you may want to consider one of these volunteer opportunities:
Classroom Presenter
Provide opportunities for youth to build social and emotional awareness, knowledge, and capacity through a series of workshops delivered to high school students in Richmond. Gain public speaking, facilitation, and class management skills; in-depth knowledge of suicide prevention, stress management, and teen relationship abuse; employment and educational references available when commitment period is fulfilled.
Crisis Line
Provide emotional support and referrals to a diverse population of callers in distress, seeking assistance with a wide range of issues. Gain communication skills, personal/professional growth, valuable knowledge and experience. Employment and educational references available when commitment period is fulfilled.
Outreach and Advocacy
Provide information and resources to people coping with crisis as well as newly arrived immigrants and refugees. Work one-on-one to help clients develop the confidence and skills to effectively resolve their own situations. Gain knowledge about family and poverty law, settlement and referral services; the reward of advocating for people who need support; excellent school and job references.
For more information: www.chimocrisis.com or email volunteer@chimocrisis.com or phone 604-270-4435 ext 5.
Chinese Community Policing Centre
The Chinese Community Policing Centre is actively recruiting volunteers for its foot patrol, bike patrol, and speed watch programs. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to work close to the Downtown Eastside, as well as working closely with the VPD and ICBC. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to meet new people, to learn new skills, gain valuable job experience, and most importantly a chance to make a difference in your community. You can volunteer to help with office administration or receive specialized training to help victims of crime. You can work on doing research and help to design seminars for presentation to various segments of the community. You can get out in the community on a bike and help find stolen cars.
Benefits of volunteering include:
- Receive free training sessions from the VPD/ICBC/CCPC
- Access to special events
- May become eligible for the Volunteer Vancouver Award
- Looks good on a resume
- Learn more about policing
- Develop new skills
Volunteer positions include:
- Foot Patrol
- Bike Patrol
- Speed Watch
- Crime Alert Notices
For more information, please contact Jag Ghuman at jsg7@sfu.ca or visit www.chinesecpc.com. For those interested in volunteering with the Chinese Community Policing Centre, please note that the application form can be downloaded from the website.
Student Employment
Kwantlen students are eligible for employment both on and off campus. Please see the Career Services at www.kwantlen.ca/careers for job postings and instructions for using Workopolis.com.
Working at Kwantlen
If you are looking for employment as a faculty or staff member at Kwantlen, please see the Human Resources website at www.kwantlen.ca/hr/.
Careers in Criminology and Justice
Concerns about public safety, crime prevention, and criminal and social justice contribute to a strong demand for people with a background in criminology. The unique community focus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University's criminology programs prepares students for a wide variety of careers in government and the private sector, including careers in traditional criminal justice agencies, law enforcement, and related community agencies.Criminology prepares students for careers in the following areas:
Law enforcement:
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Police officer
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Customs officer
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Investigator
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Crime pattern analyst
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Child protection officer
Corrections:
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Correctional officer
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Bail supervision officer
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Probation officer
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Parole officer
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Program developer
Other government and law-related:
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Paralegal (criminal)
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Sheriff
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Court services
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Policy developer and advisor
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Public legal education
Community agencies:
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Program developer and officer
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Program evaluator
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Community advocate
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Victim services provider
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Restorative justice worker
Students who graduate with a Bachelor’s degree may pursue a graduate degree in Criminology or apply to law school. In addition to service provision and program development, students with a Bachelor’s degree may engage in applied research projects.
For specific information see:
Job Futures: workingincanada.gc.ca
The City of Surrey, British Columbia. Career Opportunities: surrey.ca/city-services/600.aspx
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Recruiting: rcmp-grc.gc.ca/recruiting-recrutement/index-eng.htm
Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Careers: csiscareers.ca
LexisNexis Canada. Job board for the legal community in Canada: totallegaljobs.ca
Sources:
Goodman, D. and Grimming, R. (2007). Work in Criminal Justice: An A-Z Guide to Careers. Upper Saddle: New Jersey. Pearson Publishing.
Marques, V. (1997). An Overview of Academic and Career Information on: Criminology. Simon Fraser University Counseling and Health Services.
