An important choice.

I just graduated from high school! It’s time for me to choose my future job. I have always wanted to be a police officer because I like interactions and providing help. However, many people keep telling me that it is too tough physically and mentally. What should I do?

Choice 1 : Go in the Police Technology’s program.

Choice 2 : Choose another field of study.

Police Technology’s program.

I decided to ignore the opinion of others and do whatever it takes to become a police officer. To become a police officer in Quebec, you must follow some requirements such as having a good moral, not being guilty of a criminal offence and be a Canadian citizen. Also, you need to complete a three-years training in Police Technology at Cegep. This program involves courses that teach us how to be well-prepared for the École Nationale de Police du Québec (ENPQ). Now, I have to decide which college I will apply to. Should I apply at Ahuntsic College or Maisonneuve College?

Choice 1 : Maisonneuve College

Choice 2 : Ahuntsic College.

Maisonneuve College.

I applied to Maisonneuve College, but I wasn’t selected after taking the physical and medical tests. I can choose another field of study or apply to Ahuntsic College instead.

Choice 1 : Apply to Ahuntsic College.

Choice 2 : Choose another field of study.

Ahuntsic College.

After having analyzed my time management, I decided to apply to Ahuntsic College because it’s closer to my house. Now, I still have to take the medical and physical tests. What should I do to be well-prepared?

Choice 1 : Start working out now

Choice 2 : Wait until the last minute to start working out.

Workout now.

I choose to start working out as soon as possible to be ready to take the physical tests. Therefore, I have been selected, and I’ll start my first semester in September. I can either do my training over a period of 3 years or 4 years. What should I do?

Choice 1 : Do my training in 3 years.

Choice 2 : Do my training in 4 years

3 year training.

It's been a week since I have started my semester. Even though I am not a police officer by now, I have already learned plenty of information related to my future job. However, I have realized that I have too many classes, so I can’t have great time management. I already get maddening results, so I decided to meet my counselor to do my training over a period of 4 years instead.

Choice 1 : Do my training in 4 years

4 years training.

I just graduated! After getting my college diploma, I did a training at the École nationale de police du Québec (ENPQ) for fifteen weeks. After completing my training at the police academy, I applied at many police forces in the province. The SPVM and the SQ called me for an interview. I have to decide between these two police forces. Which one should I choose?

Choice 1 : SPVM.

Choice 2 : SQ.

SPVM.

I got hired by the SPVM! Since I have been hired by a police department, I will receive a training before I begin active duty. Each police force has its own hiring policies and requirements, so the training vary depending on the police service and his competencies. However, I am not sure if I want to be specialized in a certain domain during my career, so I must do some extra training. I may have to go to the university to obtain a higher rank. Should I do the training to become a detective or continue to be in the patrol section for the rest of my career?

Choice 1 : Become a detective

Choice 2 : Continue to be in the patrol section

Detective.

I decided to do the training to become a detective. I liked it a lot and stayed in this position for the rest of my career. After 25 years or service, I decided to retire. After all these years of services, I have acquired many essential skills such as active listening, communication, empathy, adaptability, etc.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Another field of study.

I decided to choose another field of study because I think that I should listen to people who say that being a police officer is too tough. Therefore, I don’t have any idea of the field of study I want to study in. Should I go to CEGEP or do an on-the-job training without pursuing my studies any further?

Choice 1 : Go to CEGEP

Choice 2 : Do an on-the-job training.

Wait until the last minute to start working out.

I have wait to the last minute to start preparing myself for the physical tests. Therefore, I haven’t been selected and have to find another path. Should I choose another field of study or apply to Maisonneuve College instead?

Choice 1 : Apply to Maisonneuve College

Choice 2 : Choose another field of study

Cegep.

I decided to go to CEGEP, but I still have to choose a program. Which program should I choose?

Choice 1 : Social Sciences.

Choice 2 : Natural Sciences.

Social Sciences.

I am now studying in Social Sciences and my teacher just offered us to take an internship. Should I listen to her and take the internship or not?

Choice 1 : Take an internship

Choice 2 : Don’t take an internship.

Internship.

I was overwhelmed by the stress that came with all the research to find a job. In this manner, I thought that looking for a job was stressful because there was a lot of competition for jobs. In addition, I feared that I will not enjoy the job or that my career will not be satisfying. However, I choose to test drove the job and became an intern in my field of study. I wasn’t sure about being a part of an internship, but I thought it was a great opportunity to test drive the job and to learn the ropes. As a matter of fact, acquired on-the-job training for a professional career came in handy to me because I got practical experience in my field of study and learned what the job involves. To sum up, the internship I did came in handy later by giving me a foot in the door and questioning myself about my future job wasn’t overwhelm to me anymore.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Don’t take an internship.

I decided not to take the internship offered by my teacher.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Natural Sciences.

I choose to study Natural Science but after the second week of the semester, my teachers have already begin piling on the homework. I don’t know if I should pull off my homework every week and think about my time management or put aside my homework and have fun with my friends.

Choice 1 : Pull off my homework every week.

Choice 2 : Put aside my homework.

Pull off my homework every week.

I started pulling off my homework every week and didn’t put things off until the last minute. Though, I began to be attentive in class so that’s how I have started to get straight A’s.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Put aside my homework.

I decided to take time for myself this semester. Thereby, I received maddening results in all of my classes. Should I start pulling off my homework every week, put these problems aside for now and got the work done or stop my studies and take an employment opportunity?

Choice 1 : Pull off my homework every week.

Choice 2 : Take an employment opportunity.

Employment opportunity.

I have made the choice that I will not pursue my studies any further and go straight to the job market. I was surely not going to get my dream job but I would be able to live a great life and to set aside enough money for my retirement. However, like many people who are working for someone else, I was experiencing the effects of alienation that comes with it. Also, doing a lot of overtime made me feel powerless and alienates myself. I immediately thought that it would be worthwhile for me to quit this job to create my own small business. I certainly would feel a greater sense of fulfillment if I was working for myself.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

SQ.

I got hired by the SQ! After working for this police force for 15 years, I have recently started thinking about volunteering. However, I decided to quit this job and to volunteer abroad instead. I wasn’t really sure about this commitment, but I did it anyway and from now, I can tell that this was one of the best decisions of my life. However, my purpose with volunteered was to have a positive, lasting impact on the community or the environment I worked in.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Patrol section.

I decided to stay in the patrol section. As a police officer, I work in diversify places. In fact, depending on the type of intervention I must do, I can work in the police station, outside or in vehicles. However, I spend most of my time with the population, outside of the police station. I really like it.

Choice 1 : A typical day in the life of a Police Officer.

A typical day in the life of a Police Officer.

Being a police officer is a dangerous job. In fact, police officers never know what their shift is going to be about. One of the most important risks is that they can get hurt physically. For example, they can get punch or stab by a suspect. Thirty minutes ago, I got a call for a robbery. My partner and I just arrived at the site. We got the information that the thief just steals jewelry equivalent to a million dollars. While we were patrolling the sector, we saw him. We immediately get out of the patrol vehicle to chase him and call backup with our walkie-talkie. We tried to apprehend him but he became violent. What should we do now?

Choice 1 : Use our firearm

Choice 2 : Use our taser

Firearm.

We decided to use our firearm. My partner shot the thief and the shot killed him. He now has a PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and has to go to therapy frequently.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

Taser.

We choose to use our taser. I shot the thief with the taser and it helps us to stop him. My partner put the thief in handcuffs to control him. We apprehend him, and he spent the rest of his life in jail.

Choice 1 : Go to the beginning for a different path

On-the-job training.

I made the choice to stop pursuing my studies any further and to do an on-the-job training. This allowed me to learn the ins-and-outs of the job by doing on-the-job-training (OJT). As a trainee, I saw this as an opportunity to improve my skills for this job even if there were some drawbacks associated with this training. Indeed, I didn’t receive any wage while I was doing my OJT. At first, I found it really disappointing and thought this was a waste of time, but after some reflections, I realized that this was going to be helpful for me to learn about the procedures of the company.

Choice 1 : I made some money but I didn’t achieve my goal! Go back to the beginning for a different path