Evaluation of the Correctional Officer Recruitment Allowance (CORA)

• Introduction
  • Program overview
  • About the evaluation
    • Evaluation purpose
    • Limitations
    • Methodology
• Relevance
  • Alignment and continued need
  • Competitiveness
• Effectiveness
  • Number of applicants
  • Number of candidates
  • Number of releases
  • Number of graduates
  • Allowance amount
  • Payment process
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Appendices
  • Appendix A
    • Evaluation questions
    • Logic model
• Appendix B
  • Graduate survey responses
• Appendix C
  • Hiring patterns for EE groups

Introduction

Program Overview

Implemented by Correctional Service Canada (CSC) on April 9, 2019, the Correctional Officer Recruitment Allowance (CORA) aims to improve recruitment results for correctional officers.

CSC is experiencing a shortage of front-line correctional staff, and the implementation of CORA seeks to increase application rates and the pool of potential candidates for these positions.

CORA is an allowance distributed to all eligible candidates during Stage 3 of the Correctional Training Program (CTP), the in-person component of training.

Eligible candidates receive an allowance of $400 per week, paid every two weeks. This amount is available up to a maximum of $5,600 for 14 weeks. It is in addition to the meal and hospitality expenses covered during this stage of the CTP. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an exception was made to authorize candidates to receive more than the maximum amount.

Annual disbursements for CORA payments to all eligible candidates ranged from $3.1 to $3.6 million per year.

CTP is delivered by CSC’s National Training Academy (NTA) to candidates aspiring to become:

• Correctional Officers (CX), classification of CX-01 or CX-02.
• Primary Workers/Kimisinaw/Older Brothers/Older Sisters (PW), classification of CX-02 (equivalent of correctional officers in women’s institutions).

The Director of the NTA is responsible for the management of CORA. The Director is accountable to the Director General Learning and Development, who reports to the Assistant Commissioner Human Resource Management.

The eligibility criteria and payment process for CORA are outlined in CSC’s Implementation Procedures for CTP and in the candidate agreement for CORA.

Summary of CTP:

1. Application
   • Complete on Government of Canada jobs website
2. Stage 1
   • 80 hours, 10 courses
   • On-line learning
   •  Theory test
3. Stage 2
   • 40 hours over
   • 2-4 weeks
   • On-line learning
   • 11 assignments
4. Stage 3
   • 66 days in-class learning at CSC National Training Academy
5. Graduation
   • Successful completion of all stages
   • CSC employment offer

About the Evaluation

Evaluation purpose

In accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Results (2016), CSC’s Internal Audit and Evaluation Sector completed an evaluation of CORA.

The evaluation assessed the relevance and effectiveness of CORA and applied a Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) lens.

The following key areas were selected for exploration:

1. Alignment with departmental and government priorities
2. Alignment with federal roles and responsibilities
3. Continued need for CORA
4. Competitiveness with similar programs
5. Performance (expected short-term outcomes) and GBA Plus considerations

Limitations

Limitations encountered during the conduct of this evaluation included:

• Absence of an established performance measurement framework. This means that there were no reliable or consistent performance measurement indicators. To mitigate that issue, the evaluation team developed a logic model in consultation with stakeholders and identified and calculated performance indicators.
• Efficiency issues were not examined due to insufficient data.
• Inconsistent and missing data. Some data requests made by the evaluation team were not fulfilled and/or the data provided was incomplete or had inconsistencies.
• Low survey response rate. The survey distributed to CTP graduates had a response rate of 17%.

Due to insufficient data and confounding factors, a causal link between the implementation of CORA and an improvement in recruitment of correctional officers could not be established.

Note: See Appendix A for evaluation questions and logic model.

Methodology

The evaluation of CORA used both qualitative and quantitative methods from primary and secondary sources.

The data examined covered the period between April 2019 and April 2023.

Survey

• Survey of CTP graduates.
• Response rate of 17% (n=308).
• See Appendix B for details.

Staff Interviews

• 22 interviews were conducted with program staff covering financial and administration, recruitment, and National Training Academy (NTA) themes.

Document Review

• Documents from CSC Learning and Development (L&D), CSC Human Resources, and the Public Service Commission (PSC) were reviewed.

Review of Similar Training Programs

• Similar public safety training programs were examined through a document review and consultations with program representatives. 
• Programs examined were delivered by the following organizations:
  • Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
  • Canada Coast Guard (CCG)
  • Ontario Correctional Services (OCO)

Relevance

Alignment and Continued Need

CORA’s objectives align with federal government and CSC priorities by mitigating a shortage of front-line correctional staff.

CORA complements federal priorities of public safety and the mandate of the federal correctional system. CORA’s objectives also align with CSC’s mandate, policies, and corporate priorities.

CORA was implemented in 2019 to help improve the recruitment and retention of candidates to the CTP. CORA also aims to support the recruitment of Employment Equity (EE) groups.

CSC has experienced a shortage of front-line correctional staff due to the unique nature of its work and clientele. CXs and PWs comprise close to 40% of CSC’s workforce. Adequate staffing levels are critical to maintain operations.

Improving CX and PW recruitment and retention efforts is critical for CSC to deliver on its mandate of contributing to public safety by providing safe and humane custody and supervision of offenders and assisting in their rehabilitation and reintegration.

Note: EE groups were based on the Employment Equity Act which identifies the designated groups as women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. Data related to other equity groups, such as 2SLGBTQ+, was not available during the evaluation period.

Immediate Outcomes

• CSC recruits CXs and PWs that are qualified
• Candidates are paid on time
• CORA provides sufficient remunerations to cover personal living expenses during CTP Stage 3 Training
• Candidates actively participate and successfully complete Stage 3 CTP training
• Lower attrition rates

Intermediate Outcomes

• Critical shortage of front-line correctional staff is mitigated
• Staffing supports diversity and EE group objectives·
• Recruits continue to work as CXs at CSC for at least two years post-CTP completion
• Training provides recruits with the skills and competencies required to succeed in their positions

Source: Logic model (see Appendix A)

There is a continued need for CORA. Since its implementation, the number of CTP graduates hired increased. However, there is still a gap in relation to forecasted targets.

CORA’s key objective is to mitigate a shortage of front-line correctional staff.

Since the implementation of CORA, there has been an increase in the number of CTP graduates hired to CX and PW positions.

After FY 2019 to 2020, CXs/PWs forecasted needs significantly increased and surpassed the number of actual hires. This demonstrates that there is a continued need to support recruitment and retention of candidates for Stage 3 of CTP.

• CXs/PWs forecasted hiring needs vary year-to-year depending on organizational needs. Factors such as deployment standards, regional considerations, projected available workforce, policy changes, and corporate priorities impact hirings for these positions.

Note: Data for FY 2022 to 2023 was not available.

Source: Forecasted hiring needs were calculated by the evaluation team based on data from CSC’s CX Forecast HR Planning Tool. The total surplus for CX-01 and gap for CX-02 were added. Actual hires were calculated based on PSC Recruitment data (FY 2016 to 2017 data as of July 2016).

Competitiveness

CORA contributed to maintain CSC’s competitiveness with similar public safety training programs.

CTP incentives, which include CORA, are competitive when compared to those provided by similar public safety training programs.

Being comparable to other programs is an important contributor to the recruitment of CXs and PWs.

“If financial aid was not offered to a new recruit during training to help relieve financial stressors, I believe CSC would see a drastic decrease in applicants willing to commit to 14 weeks of training. Majority, if not all law enforcement services pay their new recruits their starting salary or an allowance.”

Source: Graduate survey, “Do you believe the CORA is a successful recruitment tool?, “Please explain.”(N=215).

Table 1: Comparison of key characteristics of similar public safety training programs

Note: Other programs were not included because information could not be validated with program representatives (for example, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP]).

Graduate survey respondents noted reasons why they chose to apply for a CX/PW position at CSC. They range from fulfilling career opportunities, adequate compensation and job security, to an efficient hiring process, attainable training standards, and preferable job location.

Source: Graduate survey, “Why did you choose to apply for a Correctional Officer or Primary Worker/Older Sister position at CSC as opposed to other occupation(s)?” (N=238).

Effectiveness

Number of Applicants

Applicant: an individual who applies to a CX/PW job posting.

Since CORA, there has been a significant increase in CTP applications.

CORA aims to mitigate front-line correctional staff shortages by contributing to the recruitment of CXs and PWs.

In the year CORA was implemented (FY 2019 to 2020), the number of CTP applications for CX-01 (CXs) and CX-02 (CXs and PWs) positions more than doubled when compared to the previous year.

The number of applications fell in subsequent years but remained higher than before CORA’s implementation.

Source: PSC Recruitment data (FY 2016 to 2017 data was as of July 2016 and FY  2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

According to the survey, just over half of the respondents (54%) knew about CORA prior to applying (N=218).

Interviewees noted other recruitment strategies implemented by CSC that could have influenced the increase in number of applications to CTP. For example:

• Outreach efforts: community and school presentations, participation in career fairs, open house events, and job booths.
• Paid advertisement of job opportunities: billboards, publications, job search web sites, and social media.

There were minimal changes in the representation of most EE groups among CTP applicants.

CORA also aims to support EE objectives.

After its implementation, the percentage of applicants who identified as a visible minority increased. However, there was a slight decline in the representation of Indigenous peoples and minimal changes for women and people with disabilities. 

Note: See Appendix C for more detail on hiring patterns for EE groups. EE is a voluntary process of self-identification.

Source: PSC Recruitment data (FY 2016 to 2017 data was as of July 2016 and FY  2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

Number of Candidates

Candidate: an individual who started Stage 3 of CTP.

Since CORA, there has been an increase in the number of candidates participating in Stage 3 of CTP.

CORA is distributed during Stage 3 of CTP to help candidates actively participate in CTP training.

The year CORA was implemented saw a 62% increase in the number of candidates participating in Stage 3 of CTP. This increase may be related to the increase in number of applicants.

• The decline in FY 2020 to 2021 was attributed by interviewees to the impacts of COVID-19, which included the cancelation of CTPs in 2020.
• The upward trend resumed in FY 2021 to 2022.

Source: CSC Learning & Development data (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

Note: Data on CTP candidates who identified with an EE group was not available.

The proportion of applicants moving to Stage 3 of CTP did not change significantly after CORA’s implementation.

The ratio of applicants to candidates remained similar over the years.

On average (FY 2016 to 2017 to FY 2022 to 2023), for every 25 people applying to CTP, one became a candidate.

Source: PSC Recruitment data (FY 2016 to 2017 data was as of July 2016 and FY  2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022) and CSC Learning & Development data (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

Some interviewees agreed that the increase in number of applicants did not seem to translate into a corresponding increase in number of qualified candidates.

More Stage 3 CTP in-class sessions were held following CORA.

Since CORA, the number of in-class sessions for Stage 3 of CTP generally increased.

Source: CSC Learning & Development data (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

Number of Releases

Release: an individual excluded from CTP.

Attrition rates during CTP did not lower following CORA’s implementation.

One of CORA’s objectives was to reduce CTP attrition rates.

In the years after its implementation, the percentage of candidates released from CTP during Stage 3 varied.

More recently, releases have trended upwards.

Source: CSC Learning & Development data (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

Note: Data on CTP releases who identified with an EE group was not available.

Since CORA, there were minimal changes on the percentage of candidates withdrawing from CTP.

Since CORA’s implementation, the percentage of candidates who withdrew did not change significantly.

More candidates left CTP due to failing a portion of the training (such as, involuntary release).

Fewer candidates were released due to an authorized absence or for personal suitability reasons (such as, not abiding by CSC Academy rules and procedures, including CSC values)

Source: Data was provided by CSC Learning & Development data and percentages were calculated by the evaluation team. (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

For most graduate survey respondents, financial, family and geographical considerations were the main reasons why applicants may choose to withdraw from CTP in any stage. Interviewees added that other reasons were the job not being aligned with their interests or finding other job opportunities. For Stage 3, they added medical reasons and inability or unwillingness to deal with firearms.

Source: Interviews; graduate survey, “Why do you believe applicants would withdraw from CTP training? (Stage 1 and 2 N= 294, Stage 3 N=299).

Number of Graduates

Graduate: an individual who completed Stage 3 of CTP.

Since CORA, there has been an upward trend in the number of CTP graduates. However, success rates did not vary significantly.

One of CORA’s expected results was that more candidates would successfully complete Stage 3 of CTP.

The year CORA was implemented saw a 72% increase in the number of candidates completing CTP.

However, the success rate did not change significantly. That is, the percentage of candidates completing Stage 3 of CTP varied little over the years.

Source: CSC Learning & Development data (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022).

There were few changes in the representation of most EE groups among CTP hires.

CORA also aims to support EE objectives.

After its implementation, the percentage of hired CXs and PWs who identified as a visible minority increased. However, there was a slight decline in the representation of Indigenous peoples and women. There were minimal changes for people with disabilities. 

Note: See Appendix C for more detail on hiring patterns for EE groups. EE is a voluntary process of self-identification. EE data was only available for hired CXs and PWs, but not for CTP graduates.

Source: PSC Recruitment data (FY 2016 to 2017 data was as of July 2016 and FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022)

Since becoming a CX/PW, most graduate survey respondents (86%) worked in the region from which they originally applied.

Source: Graduate survey, “Since becoming a CX/PW, have you ever worked in a region other than the one you originally applied to the CTP from?” (N=283).

Allowance Amount

About three quarters of graduate survey respondents (73%) did not consider CORA’s amount to be sufficient to cover personal expenses.

“As an incentive, or even a means of subsistence, it is not nearly enough money. I still had to burn through my savings and use my credit cards to provide for my family because CORA was not nearly enough two years ago - and I sincerely doubt it comes close to being what is needed now in today's economy.” – Graduate survey respondent

“It would not have been feasible to attend training without CORA. Though, it only covered a very small amount of expenses. I still needed a personal loan to make ends meet.” – Graduate survey respondent

Close to half of graduate survey respondents perceived CORA as a successful tool. However, only one third indicated that it was a factor in their decision to become a CX/PW. 

• 51% of respondents believed that CORA was a successful recruitment tool. When asked to explain, many respondents noted that CORA provided necessary financial support (72% or 156/215), and some said that CORA helped them support their families (19% or 41/215).
• 36% of respondents said that CORA was a factor in their decision to become a CX/PW. When asked to explain, some respondents noted that they would not have been able to attend CTP without CORA (36% or 24/67).

Source: Graduate survey, “To what extent do you agree that CORA is sufficient to cover personal expenses during CTP Stage 3?”(N=213);  “Do you believe the CORA is a successful recruitment tool?”(N=292); “Please explain.”(N=215); “Was the CORA a factor in your decision to become a Correctional Officer or Primary Worker/Older Sister?”(N=212), “[if YES] Please explain.”(N=67).

CORA amount was set at $400 per week based on multiple factors, including:

• Training requirements, duration of training, and relocation needs to attend CTP.
• Amount offered by comparable employers.
• Responsibilities of correctional officers and risks of working with offenders.
• Average Canadian debt-load and weekly household spending on lodging and utilities.

No plans to review this amount were shared by program staff at the time interviews were conducted.

Source: Interviews; graduate survey.

Suggestions to revise overall incentives to participate in CTP, including CORA, were offered during interviews and through graduate survey responses.

For example:

• Increasing CORA amount.
• Introducing a starting salary for candidates.
• Introducing a financial bonus for CTP completion.
• Reimbursing fees (for example, First Aid, CPR certificates, travel costs, remote work location allowance).
• Dividing Stage 3 in-person sessions into sessions of shorter duration.

In addition, a few interviewees articulated that CORA is an effective tool to attract applicants but best used in combination with other recruitment strategies, such as improved outreach and job advertisement.

Source: Interviews; graduate survey.

Payment Process

CORA’s payment process is complex and involves multiple stakeholders.

CORA is not issued through the Phoenix pay system because CTP candidates are not considered CSC’s employees during training.

To receive CORA, there is a complex payment process requiring action from candidates as well as staff from the NTA, Financial Operations (FIN-OPS), and accounts payable. See CORA’s service blueprint in Appendix A for the complete payment process.

Key steps of the blueprint are outlined below:

Process to set up CORA for new candidates:

• Candidate completes payment forms and submit financial information to NTA staff.
• NTA staff scan and upload documents to a SharePoint folder, verify eligibility and appropriate allowance amount, and notify FIN-OPS staff of payment request.
• FIN-OPS staff download files to personal drive, upload to GC Docs, and create candidate’s vendor ID in the Integrated Financial & Material Management System (IFMMS).
• FIN-OPS staff create and send invoice to accounts payable.
• Accounts payable staff receive and process payments.
• Candidate receives payment via direct deposit.

Process to send CORA payments every two weeks:

• NTA staff create invoice based on timesheet and send it to FIN-OPS.
• FIN-OPS receive invoice, verify, and send it to accounts payable staff.
• Accounts payable staff receive and process payments to candidates.
• Candidate receives payment via direct deposit.
• NTA staff track payments and adjust cash forecast.

Timeliness of CORA payments decreased over the years.

In FY 2022 to 2023, 73% of payments were on time. This was a decline from 96% in FY 2020 to 2021.

Delays were usually resolved within a one-week timeframe.

• The average number of days for delayed payments to be received increased from three days in FY 2020 to 2021 to six days in FY 2022 to 2023.
• As explained by interviewees, any delay can negatively impact candidates (for example, candidates may rely on CORA to pay their expenses on time).

There are expected delays with the first CORA payment caused by the need to wait for vendor codes to be generated and for candidate information to be uploaded.

Note: Calculated based on the difference between due date and cheque date.

Source: CORA disbursement financial information for all eligible candidates within the reporting period. Data was provided by CSC Resources Management Branch, Financial Management Service and percentages were calculated by the evaluation team (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022). The original data source noted that minimal amounts were removed as they represented coding errors and that other minimal coding errors may be included. No additional explanation was provided.

CORA’s payment process can lead to inefficiencies or issues.

CSC’s target is to pay CORA on time and accurately to all eligible candidates of CTP Stage 3.

CSC staff interviewed explained how CORA’s payment process can make it more challenging to achieve that goal. For example:

• CORA does not have a centralized payment tracking system.
  • There is a reliance on continuous actions from multiple staff. This can increase workload, prompt human errors, and make it more difficult to examine payment accuracy.
• CORA does not have of a formal system to track payment issues.
  • Candidates and staff need to communicate via e-mail to resolve issues.
• CORA can be vulnerable to miscalculations.
  • For example, if a candidate is required to leave during Stage 3 of CTP, and they return to a later CTP, they should not be paid more than $5,600 total. However, staff are not always able to verify that previous payments were made (for example, if a candidate attended CTP in different regions). In these situations, staff need to rely on information provided by the candidate to calculate the amount of pay the candidate should receive.

Almost half of graduate survey respondents (47%) experienced pay related problems with their CORA payment. Close to two-thirds (64%) believed that these problems had not been addressed in a timely fashion.

Source: Graduate survey, “Were there ever any pay related problems with your CORA payments?” (N=213) “Do you believe that the pay issues were addressed in a timely fashion?” (N=100).

Some candidates received different amounts for CORA (per cheque or in total).

CSC staff Interviewed articulated reasons for these differences:

• Absences or early termination from CTP, since the payment amount is based on a candidate’s attendance and participation.
• Authorization to receive more than maximum amount at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Errors in the payment process or miscalculations.

Source: CORA disbursement financial information for all eligible candidates within the reporting period. Data was provided by CSC Resources Management Branch, Financial Management Service and percentages were calculated by the evaluation team (FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022). The original data source noted that minimal amounts were removed as they represented coding errors and that other minimal coding errors may be included. No additional explanation was provided.

Conclusions

Relevance

• CORA is aligned with CSC priorities and there is a continued need to mitigate a shortage of correctional officers.
• Compared to similar training programs, CORA is nationally competitive.

Results

• Since CORA, there has been an increase in the number of applications and number of candidates completing Stage 3 of CTP. However, the success and attrition rates have had little variation.
• After CORA, there were minimal changes in the representation of EE groups among applicants and hires.
• CORA was considered a successful recruitment tool by some CTP graduate survey respondents. However, most considered the allowance amount insufficient to cover candidates’ expenses.

Process

• CORA’s payment process is complex and can lead to payment issues, especially delays.

Monitoring

• Consistent and reliable processes for the monitoring and reporting of CORA’s key performance indicators were not identified.
• There is inconsistent tracking of EE representation. EE data was not available for candidates, releases, and graduates.
• Concerns with data integrity and consistency were noted.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: The Assistant Commissioner, Human Resource Management Sector should examine current payment processes for CORA to ensure the consistency, accuracy, and timeliness of pay to accomplish the goal of paying CTP Stage 3 candidates on time and accurately.

Management Response/Position:   Accepted                 Accepted in Part                 Rejected

Management Response: We agree with this recommendation. By March 2025, the ACHRM will:

• Ensure the CTP Implementation Procedures, Annex V, Business Process Model, CORA are updated to reflect the specific service delivery standards/responsibilities for FIN-OPS and the Management of Learning Solutions Division (MLS).
• Continue to monitor the CORA payments for returning recruits to ensure overpayments are eliminated.

Table 2:

Recommendation 2: The Assistant Commissioner, Human Resource Management Sector should continue to monitor the impact of CORA on candidates’ participation and decision-making in the recruitment and training process and seek opportunities to improve CORA to accomplish the goal of advancing recruitment results for correctional officers.

Management Response/Position:   Accepted                 Accepted in Part                 Rejected

Management Response: We agree with this recommendation. By April 2025, the ACHRM will:

• Include statements on job advertisement and on CSC’s external careers website to advise potential applicants of the weekly allowance.
• Include question in application or questionnaire process to ask candidates if CORA was a factor in their decision to apply to CSC.
• Include refusal form or survey questions in Solicitation of interest and Conditional Letters of Offers package to determine reasons for refusal, with CORA (or financial implications) being one of the reasons.
• Implement exit survey sent to all candidates and recruits who withdraw from process or CTP and include question to determine if CORA (or financial implications) were one of the reasons.

Table 3:

Recommendation 3: The Assistant Commissioner, Human Resource Management Sector should develop a performance measurement framework for CORA. This exercise should include a review of CORA’s logic model, selecting reliable and relevant performance indicators, data collection, data management, and the monitoring of results. Additionally, there should be consistent collection and reporting of data on the representation of EE groups.

Management Response/Position:   Accepted                 Accepted in Part                 Rejected

Management Response: We agree with this recommendation. By September 2025, the ACHRM will:

• Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor the service delivery standards of the training sites and FIN-OPS.
• Review the logic model and identify performance indicators in order to monitor and report on results.

Table 4:

Appendices

Appendix A

Evaluation questions

Evaluation questions explored in this Evaluation:

Relevance

Continued need for CORA

• Does CORA address a demonstrable need within federal corrections?

Alignment with federal government priorities, roles and responsibilities

• How do CORA objectives align with Government of Canada directions/priorities/roles and responsibilities?

Alignment with CSC mandate and priorities

• How do CORA objectives align with CSC directions/priorities/roles and responsibilities?

Competitiveness with similar programs

• Is CORA considered competitive compared to other similar government departments?

Effectiveness

Design and delivery

• Are all eligible recruits receiving the CORA?
• Are all recruits paid accurately and on time? Are there any barriers/challenges?
• Has there been an increased number of applicants?
• Has there been an increase in the number of recruits? Is CSC meeting its recruitment targets?
• Has there been a decrease in the rate of withdrawal?
• Has the CORA improved retention efforts?
• Is CSC attracting the right type of candidates?
• Has there been an improvement in the applicants-to-eligible candidate’s ratio?
• What is the percentage of graduates who indicate that they would not have considered CSC without the CORA?

GBA Plus

• Has there been an increase in the representation of applicants, recruits and graduates from Employment Equity groups (Indigenous peoples, visible minority, women, and people with disabilities)?

Note: The Terms of Reference for this evaluation also included efficiency as a tentative area for exploration. Due to data limitations, this area was not further examined.

Note:  Intermediate outcomes were not included in the scope of this Evaluation. According to program documentation, long-term results were expected 3 to 5+ years after implementation.

Appendix B

Graduate survey responses

The CTP Graduate Survey was distributed to 1,858 graduates between April 11, 2023, and April 26, 2023. 308 graduates responded to the survey (17% response rate).

The following is a summary of valid responses to individual survey questions.

Demographic characteristics:

• 41% self-identified as belonging to an Employment Equity group (N=308).
  • 36% self-identified as female (N=304).
  • 22% self-identified as a visible minority (N=302).
  • 10% self-identified as Indigenous peoples (N=303).
  • 4% self-identified as a person with a disability (N=303).
• 72% were less than 40 years old (N=301).
• 42% currently worked in the Prairie region, followed by 18% in Pacific, 16% Ontario, 16% Atlantic, and 7% Quebec (N=301).
• 79% worked in a men’s institution (N=300).
• 34% worked in a maximum-security institution, 33% medium and 29% multi-level (N=300).
• 91% were in the Correctional Services (CX) classification (N=308)
  • 68% were CX-01, 15% were CX-02, 10% were PW (N=292).
• 54% had been employed by CSC between six months to two years, followed by 32% who had been employed for more than two but fewer than five years (N=299).
  • 59% indicated that they had occupied their current position for six months to two years, followed by 29% for more than two but fewer than five years (N=298).

Applying to CTP:

• 65% considered applying for a different occupation prior to applying to become a CX/PW (N=297).
• 89% were not a Government of Canada employee prior to applying to become a CX/PW (N=295).
• 34% lived in the Prairie region during the application process, followed by 25% in Ontario, 18% Atlantic, 14% Pacific, 8% Quebec (N=295).
• The top three reasons why respondents believed applicants would withdraw from CTP Stage 1 and 2 training (N=299):
  • 74% family considerations;
  • 71% financial considerations;
  • 65% geographical relocation.
• The top three reasons why respondents believed applicants would withdraw from CTP Stage 3 training (N=294):
  • 84% family considerations;
  • 83% financial considerations;
  • 65% geographical relocation.
• 51% believed CORA is a successful recruitment tool (N=292).
• 76% were a recipient of CORA (N=289).
• 54% were aware of CORA prior to applying (N=218).
• 47% became aware of CORA via CSC’s website, followed by 30% word of mouth, 11% job advertisement, 9% other, and 2% social media (N=210).
• 59% indicated that CORA was not a factor in their decision to become a CX/PW (N=212).
• 73% disagreed that CORA was sufficient to cover personal expenses (N=213).

CORA Payments:

• 54% were paid equal to $5600, while 29% said they received less than this (N=212).
• 49% did not have pay related problems with CORA payments, while 47% had problems (N=213). The remaining were unsure (3%) or preferred not to answer (1%).
• 64% do not believe that pay issues were addressed in a timely fashion (N=100).

Graduating from CTP:

• 80% took less than or equal to 14 weeks to complete Stage 3 (N=282).
• 86% have not worked in a region other than the one they originally applied to the CTP (N=283).
  • 67% have moved regions once (N=36).
• For most respondents, if they were to leave CSC today for other employment opportunities, the reasons would be (N=283):
  • 61% for increased compensation for similar occupational requirements;
  • 59% better work/life balance;
  • 58% burn out (stress).
• Most respondents believe CXs and PWs leave CSC for other employment opportunities, for the following reasons (N=282):
  • 89% burn out (stress);
  • 74% better work/life balance;
  • 74% issues with management (performance agreements, grievances, etc.).

Appendix C

Hiring patterns for EE groups

Women - After CORA there was a small decrease in the percentage of applicants and hires.

Before CORA, there was an upward trend in the percentage of applicants identifying as women (from 34% to 38%). In the years after CORA was implemented, the trend was downward (from 39% to 34%).

The same trend was observed for hires. Before CORA, the percentage identifying as women was 37% and after CORA it fell to 34%. 

Visible minority - After CORA there was an increase in the percentage of applicants and hires.

Before CORA, there was already a steady increase in the percentage of applicants identifying as a visible minority (from 17% to 20%). The same upward trend continued afterwards (from 25% to 31%).

The same trend was observed for hires. Before CORA, the percentage identifying as a visible minority was 13% and after CORA it grew to 19%.

People with disabilities - After CORA there were minimal changes in the percentage of applicants and hires.

Before CORA, the percentage of applicants identifying as people with disabilities was averaging 2.1%. Following the implementation of CORA, there was a minimal increase to 2.4%.

The same trend was observed for hires. Before CORA, the percentage identifying as people with disabilities was 2% and after CORA it grew to 2.2%.

Indigenous peoples - After CORA there was a decline in the percentage of applicants and a small increase in the percentage of hires.

Before CORA, the percentage of applicants identifying as Indigenous peoples was averaging 10%. Following the implementation of CORA, there was a downward trend (from 8% to 6%).

For hires, the proportion identifying as Indigenous peoples varied over the years. More recently, an upward trend was observed (from 6% to 10%).

Source: PSC Recruitment data for number of applicants (FY 2016 to 2017 data was as of July 2016 and FY 2022 to 2023 data was up to December 2022) and CSC Human Resources data for number of graduates.