The New Year is upon us and I would like to take a moment on behalf of the whole TestReadyPro team to thank all of our customers. When we're not working directly with you we put a considerable amount of time into developing new content for the website and working to make TRP the best way to prepare for your policing, firefighting, etc. testing.
This has been my fourth year on the TestReadyPro team and I couldn't be more proud of what this company has become, it is far more than a website simply offering a place for student to prepare for Police, Firefighter, EMS, and other first responder jobs. We have created a community, a place where our students return and engage in important dialogues with us seeking advice and guidance. We have been there with you, crossed fingers, waiting for those offers of employment to come in.
This December has been a monumental one, it marks our 50th police constable candidate being hired who has used our system exclusively from the beginning to finish, PATI and WCT test guides, to advice on the BPAD and Police Interview Coaching. So, congratulations to Matt on his recent hire. He had this to say "TestReadyPro was accurate and gave me everything I needed to prepare.. I've seen what the competitors had to offer and what TRP has is better and more accurate to what you go through. Plus, the staff of TRP have additional experience which is valuable."
I'm excited for the new year and what it will bring for us and our students. As always you can email me, Tim Gordon, directly: testreadyhelp@gmail.com with your questions or requests for coaching and mentoring.
Happy New Year,
Your TestReadyPro Team.
Starting a career in Emergency Services? You know you have to pass the Entrance Test! Pass the first time and also access complete learning materials plus Fitness, Application, Resume and Interview prep. For Firefighters OFAI FACT, CPS, OS Test Prep, FORCES CFAT,eCFAT, Police OACP CSS Certificate, Paramedic A-EMCA prep, Security Guard License, Special Constable GATB, Mental Health and more! Your career starts with the right training. Prepare the right way!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Professionalization Of Emergency Services
Once upon a time if you wanted to be a cop, a firefighter or a paramedic the process was easy. You either did or did not meet the minimum requirements, you wrote a test and did a physical. If you passed all of the above, you moved on and your score mattered - none of this "Meets Standard" and "Does Not Meet Standard" ambiguity. From there you were interviewed and you may receive the offer of employment from there.
Things are different now, that was a much simpler time.
Not only have recruitment practices changed but so has the industry itself. Police, Fire and EMS have become profressionalized. Professionalization is the concept that these first responder careers have been established and given the status of a profession. Much like medicine, there is a set of standards and practices that give medicine a professional status. So, where does this come from? Emergency services are notoriouly decentralized, being spread across various municipalities, regions, provincial and federal jurisdictions in addition to varying levels of independence. This was not considered acceptable and various methods were introduced to varying success in an effort to create a professional status amongst first responders. The concept of professionalizing emergency services began in 1931 with the Wickersham Commision, continued onto 1967 and 1973 in seperate movements. I won't bore you with the scholarly research but the point is that only during the last 30 years (1980 to present) most emergency services were well behind the times with recruitment practices. A desire to recruit "the best" and to establish the status of a profession drives up the standard of what is expected from recruits. This is most evident in Canada from 1998 to present with the introduction of the Constable Selection System in Ontario for Police.
So, yes the minimum requirements have remained the same but that doesn't mean only holding those qualifications is enough. In fact, they're not. Education, volunteering, skills and courses are required to be recognized as "the best" (read: most qualified). This now leads us to the latest problem of most professions and academia alike: credentialism.
Next week I'm going to write about credentialism as a product of the professionalization of emergency service and how credentialism is affecting recruits.
Like always, hop on the forum or email me directly with your questions!
Things are different now, that was a much simpler time.
Not only have recruitment practices changed but so has the industry itself. Police, Fire and EMS have become profressionalized. Professionalization is the concept that these first responder careers have been established and given the status of a profession. Much like medicine, there is a set of standards and practices that give medicine a professional status. So, where does this come from? Emergency services are notoriouly decentralized, being spread across various municipalities, regions, provincial and federal jurisdictions in addition to varying levels of independence. This was not considered acceptable and various methods were introduced to varying success in an effort to create a professional status amongst first responders. The concept of professionalizing emergency services began in 1931 with the Wickersham Commision, continued onto 1967 and 1973 in seperate movements. I won't bore you with the scholarly research but the point is that only during the last 30 years (1980 to present) most emergency services were well behind the times with recruitment practices. A desire to recruit "the best" and to establish the status of a profession drives up the standard of what is expected from recruits. This is most evident in Canada from 1998 to present with the introduction of the Constable Selection System in Ontario for Police.
So, yes the minimum requirements have remained the same but that doesn't mean only holding those qualifications is enough. In fact, they're not. Education, volunteering, skills and courses are required to be recognized as "the best" (read: most qualified). This now leads us to the latest problem of most professions and academia alike: credentialism.
Next week I'm going to write about credentialism as a product of the professionalization of emergency service and how credentialism is affecting recruits.
Like always, hop on the forum or email me directly with your questions!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
TRP's Police interview coach helps students ace ECI panel interviews and land jobs!
Hey folks,
I know I haven't been able to keep up with blogging so allow me to share some of the of the new developments that have been happening. First off, I'm EXTREMELY proud to announce that 30 of our students have made it to Ontario Police College, hired on as Police Constables with various services including Toronto Metropolitan Police, York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, Hamilton Police Service, Niagara Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Bellevile Police Serivce, Waterloo Regional Police and Guelph Police Service.
All 30 of these students used TestReadyPro's exclusive one-on-one inteview coaching. The interview coaching is a $200, three hour session with myself where we cover the ECI, essential competency interview, DCI, developmental competency interview and the LFI, local focus interview. Email me directy to discuss coaching: testreadyhelp@gmail.com
Some of the comments I've received: "Tim, I passed my ECI today! I felt confident during my interview and was told by my interviewers they could tell I was prepared. Thanks for everything."
"Tim: I just wanted to let you know that I got the job with the Belleville Police Service. I want to say THANK YOU!!!!. If it was not for all your help I am sure I would not have been as successful. Your are my hero!!!!!"
This is what me and everyone else at TestReadyPro want. We're honoured to be the company that people turn to when they need help with their dream of becoming a police constable. Other exciting developments include the site has a brand new look and our practice tests have enhanced functionality thanks to the brilliant minds over at IJ Solutions (ijsolutions.ca) and the forum is back online after a short and somewhat jarring hiatus (forums.testreadypro.com). I really can not encourage any applicants whether they be Police Constable or Firefighter hopefuls to hop on the forum, talk shop and network. Taking part in this application process is just that - a process. Band together and support eachother on the forum, network to take classes together and of course I wil be there always offering advice for free!
Keep posted to the blog as I'll be writing some articles in the new future on credentialism and the professionalization of emergency services. Also, feel free to join me on the forum or email me personally: testreadyhelp@gmail.com to discuss these issues and how they relate to building your application and resume!
Regards,
Tim.
I know I haven't been able to keep up with blogging so allow me to share some of the of the new developments that have been happening. First off, I'm EXTREMELY proud to announce that 30 of our students have made it to Ontario Police College, hired on as Police Constables with various services including Toronto Metropolitan Police, York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, Hamilton Police Service, Niagara Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Bellevile Police Serivce, Waterloo Regional Police and Guelph Police Service.
All 30 of these students used TestReadyPro's exclusive one-on-one inteview coaching. The interview coaching is a $200, three hour session with myself where we cover the ECI, essential competency interview, DCI, developmental competency interview and the LFI, local focus interview. Email me directy to discuss coaching: testreadyhelp@gmail.com
Some of the comments I've received: "Tim, I passed my ECI today! I felt confident during my interview and was told by my interviewers they could tell I was prepared. Thanks for everything."
"Tim: I just wanted to let you know that I got the job with the Belleville Police Service. I want to say THANK YOU!!!!. If it was not for all your help I am sure I would not have been as successful. Your are my hero!!!!!"
This is what me and everyone else at TestReadyPro want. We're honoured to be the company that people turn to when they need help with their dream of becoming a police constable. Other exciting developments include the site has a brand new look and our practice tests have enhanced functionality thanks to the brilliant minds over at IJ Solutions (ijsolutions.ca) and the forum is back online after a short and somewhat jarring hiatus (forums.testreadypro.com). I really can not encourage any applicants whether they be Police Constable or Firefighter hopefuls to hop on the forum, talk shop and network. Taking part in this application process is just that - a process. Band together and support eachother on the forum, network to take classes together and of course I wil be there always offering advice for free!
Keep posted to the blog as I'll be writing some articles in the new future on credentialism and the professionalization of emergency services. Also, feel free to join me on the forum or email me personally: testreadyhelp@gmail.com to discuss these issues and how they relate to building your application and resume!
Regards,
Tim.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)