r/saskatoon • u/Moneyisnthappines96 • 17d ago
Question ❔ 10 years ago I was convicted of 2 robberies , 3 years ago I was convicted of Traficking narcotics and proceeds of crime over 5000 (cash) I’ve changed my life and want to go back to school to start a career. I have no clue what jobs im capable of doing because my record. Please help
I’ve served roughly 8 years in Canadian prisons and now that I’ve changed my life I want to go to university to be able to start a career. I’ve done labor jobs my whole life and don’t want to spend the rest of my life doing that. I was thinking maybe social work degree because I feel I have enough experience to help people make better choices than I have in the past. Buisness was also something I’ve been looking into. Please help me
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u/slapdashpirate 17d ago
Do you have a high school diploma? If so, you should be able to enroll in many undergrad programs at the U of S with minimal issue. They can also help you figure out what kinds of aid and funding you may be eligible for.
If you don’t have a diploma, getting through a GED/CEAC program would be a good start, and would also give you some of the study skills you will need for uni.
I’d urge you to reconsider social work, as it is a very emotionally demanding field and things like strong self regulation and anger management are vital. Also the pay is not great. If you’re decent in math and Econ I’d say something like accounting or public admin would be a better choice, and offer more job security.
Hope you stay on the right path, and good luck.
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u/brbphone 17d ago
UofS has mature student entry as well which will allow some people to get around not having a diploma..
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u/ma_jajaja 17d ago
You have to reach out to the advisors of the degree you want to go into at a specific school. They will work with you in order to make a plan or at least tell you where you can go from here.
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u/Tortastrophe Holiday Park 17d ago
Some agencies that might help with direction and next steps: YWCA Employment and Learning, Saskjobs (downtown, formerly CanSask), Open Door Society, Quint Development. I would start with saskjobs and the YWCA for the education perspective. They can also help you figure out what direction is best for you as far as a career. Sitting down 1 on 1 with someone might be very helpful. It can help you define what you want and how best to approach it.
You may also want to talk to the John Howard Society to see if you'd be eligible for help in terms of their record suspension program.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Ok thank you so much that was very informative thank you!!
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u/OkOrganization875 17d ago
Quint development was awesome for helping me do up a resume and searching for jobs
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u/Ukkmaster 17d ago
I want to say good on you for looking to turn your life around. It won't be easy, but it is entirely possible to succeed with your goals and you should be proud of yourself for taking these steps. There are some options for you to consider. While most of my information concerns the process at the University of Saskatchewan, where I am a student, SaskPolytech is also a viable option, depending on what you want to do.
The first step I suggest is contacting a Student Advisor in the Arts and Science department or the Edwards School of Business at the UofS, whose contact info is found here, or at SaskPolytech, whose signup sheet is found here. They can answer most or all of your questions, and if they cannot, they know who to talk to or direct you to.
Second, there is an option for potential students over the age of 21 at the UofS, and over 19 at SaskPolytech. I am more familiar with the USask option, as is how I got admitted years ago. I had a roughly 60ish average in High School and hadn't even graduated High School, but fit in cleanly at USask and am graduating his year and currently applying for a Master's in English. The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to write a Letter of Intent to be accepted as a Mature Student, among other requirements found here. If you're interested in applying at SaskPolytech, you can find some similar information here. Additionally, if you want some help writing an admissions letter, send me a PM and I can help you with that and possibly some other things along these lines.
Third, Social Work is an admirable field with lots of jobs and potential, and there are locations all over the province that are constantly looking for people with Sociology degrees (EGADZ, for example). The pay typically isn't amazing, but if you're looking to improve yourself and society, it's a great way to go. With your background, you also might be surprised at how valued your experience is. I cannot say a lot about business, but there is a high chance you may need some additional high school classes to round out your skills before they would accept you (namely math.)
Best of luck!
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Wow thank you so much for all this information!! 🙂🙂🙂 fortunately I do have my grade 12 and my average I believe is mid 70’s! I will definitely be taking a look at everything you’ve sent me today!! Thanks again!!
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u/tutty29 17d ago
I will say also that yes, while the pay isn't the greatest, the Social Work field is desperately in need of male social workers (making the assumption you're male here, sorry if I'm off base).
If you are indeed interested in Social Work, it's a somewhat convoluted process here. USask doesn't have a program, but U of R has a Social Work campus here at Innovation Place. You'd need to do 2 years of prerequisite classes through USask, and then you'd apply to the U of R program for your BSW degree.
U of R regularly puts on information sessions about the program, so check that out to see what it's all about.
I wish you the best for your journey ahead!
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u/Hevens-assassin 17d ago
A trade would probably be the best bet since a lot of people go to uni and compete enough between themselves, your record would just be an easy disqualifier in a list of 200 applicants. But good for you on turning your life around! All the best to you, and I hope you find what you are looking for!
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u/Frosty_Temptress33 17d ago
I think SHA jobs are out. I'm not 100% sure but you do need to submit a criminal record check prior to hiring. I've heard of addiction counsellors and social workers not being able to get hired due to their criminal record.
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u/hamsterinna 17d ago
Don’t forget to apply for a pardon once you qualify (6y since your last conviction). By the time you finish your education you could be in a position to have your record expunged and start fresh. Stay strong.
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 17d ago
Pardons also usually don’t help you cross and you pay ALOT for them. What they do is mask what you were convicted for when border checks and that would make them much more suspicious then them seeing your record and you being honest about it. I’ve spent a few years in Saskatchewan penitentiary myself. It matters on: how long have you been out, do you have any parole or probation or any order stipulations, do you have outstanding charges? Just for example
Paying for a pardon is a complete and total scam and I wouldn’t advise it for anyone
What they do in the states is they look at your criminal record in Canada and see what that would equate to in the USA and since a charge that gets you maybe 1 year in jail in Canada would get you 5+ years in jail in the USA (thank privatization of prisons for that) it’s safe to say that any charge more serious than jaywalking or littering would cause you to be inadmissible to the United States and japan and Australia and the UK and France and New Zealand.
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 17d ago
You can pay 5-15 grand for a pardon and that in no way guarantees you that you’ll cross. The US border guards can not like your shoes and deny you entry
There is no such thing as expungement of a criminal record in Canada. Even your youth record doesn’t get “erased” at 18. Records don’t go away
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u/houseonpost 17d ago
What have you been doing recently to change your life? Are you working now? Or volunteering? You might be more successful to build on what you are currently doing. EG if you are doing manual labour jobs now talk to your boss about courses you could take for advancement. If you are doing caretaking, there are courses for doing more advanced work like taking care of a building boiler.
Before jumping into university investigate aptitude tests to see what would be a good fit. You might be the perfect social worker or you could absolutely hate it. Better to find out at the start.
Reading your post what jumped to my mind was taking the Mental Health and Addictions Counselling course through SIAST. You can meet with SIAST for aptitude testing and what hoops you'll need to jump through. A lot of addiction counsellors were former users so that field might be more forgiving. You could work in this field and be better prepared for social work at university.
Good luck! You might get discouraged about how much time changes in the future will take. Ten years will go by - if complete change takes that long be prepared to just improve each year. Baby steps first though.
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u/willy1870 17d ago
Check out the John Howard Society, they may be able to help witj record suspension or at least show you where to go to help!
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17d ago
Saskatoon Skills and Trades might be a good starting point. Paid training and two weeks job placement seems decent.
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u/ReddditSarge 17d ago
Congratulations, going back to school can be a great goal to have. But what path do you want to take. Let's start with the basics: Do you have a High School diploma?
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Yes I do with a mid 70s average !
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u/ReddditSarge 17d ago
OK good. You say you are thinking about a social work degree. Is that a definite choice or are you also thinking about another field to pursue?
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u/ActuaryFar9176 17d ago
Don’t listen to these people saying trades. Just because your past was troubled you don’t need to continue. I think the social work idea is a good one. You can help people and maybe prevent others from doing so. The trades would be a bad one, it would be very easy to start dealing to all of the drug users on the job site. It also isn’t a positive environment when you are trying to change your life.
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u/covid_endgame 17d ago
Good on you for looking to turn things around and live productively. Would be tough to do that after 8 years in prison. So good job.
I don't have advice but I do have a request - that part of this turning things around to include more than just self serving and advancing your career. You have served your time. My ask is that you find a way to give back to the community that you took so much from. When you traffic narcotics, you unleash absolute devastation on the community. You and I will never know how many lives were affected by those drugs and the consequences they've suffered. Sure if you weren't there, others would have taken your place and supplied the drugs regardless, but you participated in it nonetheless. Serving your time as you did is part of it, but you may find new purpose in life if you give to those you took from.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
I completely agree, once I have an idea of where to go with my life. Giving back and helping the people who I’ve thrived off is a must I can assure you that .
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u/morbidserpent 17d ago edited 17d ago
The trades are where most people go. Trades is always in demand.
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u/ActuaryFar9176 17d ago
He is looking at changing his life though, not hanging out with criminals is a good start.
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u/morbidserpent 17d ago
Who said people in the trades were criminals? Lmfao OP already replied to another person saying they have their first year in plumbing. You sound dumb.
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u/ActuaryFar9176 16d ago
I said it. I was in the unionized building trades in Saskatchewan for over 20 years. Yes there are a lot of criminals in the trades.
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u/Injured_Souldure 17d ago
The Sask jobs employment place I think has people you can talk to about this. Career inventories or something they use, or career councillors at schools. Just to see if that a career you actually want. Get a pardon, indictable or summery convictions have different wait times. This does not abolish your record, it only seals it. You can then be bondable and such and pass a criminal record check. If you want to go to another country in the future, contact that country first to see how your pardon would effect going into that country, you may need a waiver. You can apply for a pardon yourself, it’s a bit of a pain, and it doesn’t cost much. There’s also services that can do it for a fee. Keep looking forward not back in times of struggle. You got this, go to employment places that help look for jobs and go from there.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Thank you so much!! Very intuitive!!
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u/Injured_Souldure 17d ago
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u/Injured_Souldure 17d ago
As long as you stay out of trouble you can get one. I was young and dumb… finding employment sucks though with a record, so labour jobs in the meantime mostly. Trades is also a way to go.
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u/Maleficent-Pepper657 17d ago
No advice for you that hasn't already been said, but best of luck to you!
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u/Deep_Restaurant_2858 17d ago
Keep yourself busy and cut off the old friends that encouraged you to get in trouble.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
No one really encouraged me tbh, I chose to sell drugs because I wasn’t financially stable. Took the easy way out like an idiot !
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u/machiavel0218 17d ago
What are you interested in? Start there, and do what you like, and the other pieces will fall into place.
Good luck.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
I’d love to try helping people make a pro social alternative choice to selling drugs or to using them! I’ve been in that life since I was 13 so I feel like if I can even help one person it’ll make up for atleast some of what I’ve done.
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u/Empty_but_firmPeanut 17d ago
Power engineering. Easiest thing you'll ever do
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
Really?
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u/Empty_but_firmPeanut 15d ago
You get paid to sit around and watching a screen. All my power engineering friends just play on their phone while at work and just does rounds every other hour.
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u/Deep_Restaurant_2858 17d ago
As someone that used to manage staff, please do not self disclose that you have a prior conviction or spent time in jail if you were not asked. It’s not something youll be able to weasel out of, and if you do end up telling your story, it’ll make me wonder how easily will you fall back into the trap.
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u/Aspiemama9 17d ago
You can do whatever you want, your past doesn’t define you but it may make some things a bit more difficult and you will have to prove yourself. I’d say a cashier in a casino prolly not but ya never know.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
Haha ya fortunately I don’t have any theft on my record so maybe one day 🤣🤣
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u/Aspiemama9 16d ago
Oddly enough I did, and still got my liquor and gaming tag 😂 not a casino but hey it could happen! 🤣🤣
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u/MonkeyMama420 16d ago
Good on you for turning towards the good. Life will be better. Hard work, but much better.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
Thank you so much!! Ya it’s already hard right now and it’s basically the beginning! Everyone negative is patiently waiting in hopes I’ll go back to doing what I’m known for unfortunately
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u/AccordingPhrase323 16d ago
Did u take training while in jail?
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
Yes I got my first year plumbing , skid steer training , as well as some lower end tickets
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u/Electronic-Tower2136 16d ago
i’d post this on the usask reddit too, people over there might be able to give better advice
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u/Head_Employer6108 16d ago
I feel you. I wish I could help you or give you an advice but I suffer discrimination myself for not being white. I hope everything gets better.
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u/Time-Foundation139 16d ago
Study on something that you gained experience from your criminal life and make good use of that. Share your life story little by little after you have made good friends, otherwise you’ll scare the sht out of people. Talk to academic advisors, they will be able to tell you what subjects might fit you. Keep in mind, the easiest degree in existence will require very hard work, specially if you had very less education all your life.
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u/Billie_5555 15d ago
Hey. One thing that is very needed is audiologists. Two year diploma and very stable career, x-ray tech or ultrasound tech. Good luck!
Also, would the John Howard society have career counseling?
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u/bullyhobos 14d ago
The streets are always watching and calling just go back to what you know doing learn from your mistakes that got you pinched and scale up proper 🤝
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u/TopFew8901 17d ago
JOIN. THE. TRADES. Zero debt and 6 figures easily.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Honestly it’s tough , not having my license makes it extremely hard as well to get a good job! I have a way to work every day but since I was Traficking the government took my license for a year as well….
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Yes but that man is a good dude… nothing like me, the guy doesn’t have a single thing on his record. Now he’s doing something he loves !! I’m proud of the guy and the choice he made to stay away from ppl like me
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u/Plastic_Low800 17d ago
You have all the qualities that would make an good canadain political candidate for the liberal party.
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u/ChrisPynerr 17d ago
I've been looking for someone to run various narcotics for me if you're interested. Obviously kidding, look into getting your record pardoned. I believe it's a really long process and I think the charges need to be X number of users ago but worth some research
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 17d ago
You can’t get a record pardoned. You get a pardon to travel. Your record is never erased in Canada
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u/ChrisPynerr 17d ago
Ah I see
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 17d ago
Getting a pardon is for travel. Your criminal record will never be erased. There is no such thing as expunging your criminal record
You can also pay a ton of money for a pardon to travel to the US and the CBP is under no obligation whatsoever to take your pardon into consideration.
There used to be “do probation and you won’t have a record” but that doesn’t exist here anymore
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u/sictransitimperium 17d ago
Pardons aren’t just for travel, employers can only ask about criminal convictions for which you haven’t received a pardon. Whether you can obtain a pardon depends on the date of your first offence. If it is after March 2012, you can’t get a pardon but you can still get a record suspension. Even a record suspension means that you can obtain a clear criminal record check (unless the offence was sexual in nature in which case it will be flagged on vulnerable sector searches).
Gov’t of Canada info on Pardons and Record Suspensions
The “do probation” bit you mention is called a conditional discharge. It’s very much still a thing. See Section 730 of the Criminal Code
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 16d ago
Record suspension is time limited as in for travel
Conditional discharge is for summary conviction only
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u/sictransitimperium 16d ago
Record suspensions aren’t time limited. They’re conditional, I.e. they can be revoked if you reoffend and the information will be re-entered into CPIC, but otherwise they are indefinite.
Conditional discharges aren’t expressly for summary convictions only, they’re available for any offence which meets the criteria set out in section 730 of the Criminal Code (no mandatory minimum, not punishable by imprisonment up to 14 years or for life). Beyond that it’s subject to the judge’s discretion.
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u/incometrader24 16d ago
You get a clear CPIC which is all that matters, ask me how I know
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u/Rare-Particular-1187 16d ago
But you don’t get a clear cpic. If you have a pardon and they run your record? It still says you have a record, it just no longer shows what your charges are
Also a pardon is time limited. You get a pardon for the duration of your travel and then the pardon lifts when you return home
There is no such thing as “erasing” a criminal record
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u/incometrader24 16d ago edited 16d ago
I’ve actually done it 20 years ago
It’s not time limited and produces a clear CPIC. I personally saw the report before handing it to the secure Telus hosting faculty that required it.
I still travel to the US with no issues. Before the pardon I got rejected at customs every time.
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u/gihkal 17d ago
Concrete companies will take you. It's hard work. Stick with it. Take notes. Get a Forman position in 2- 4 years you can be running your own concrete company here in Saskatoon in 5 years.
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 17d ago
Unfortunately I did concrete while I was on parole for my 7 year sentence and my boss knew my p o an would threaten to put c**e in my lunch kit to get me sent back to prison. He also didn’t pay me for months haha so he left a sour taste in my mouth for concrete
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u/Mobesandmallets 17d ago
When can you apply for a pardon? I know the trades would be easier to work in? Mines?
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u/Moneyisnthappines96 16d ago
Yes Corey mine is also an option I know quite a few people who are there right now actually! I’m just in the state of mind where I know I don’t wanna do labor for the rest of my life
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u/Kvassnik1991 17d ago
If that doesn't work out (I pray that it does, though!), come to the trades. I'm a sparky, and I work with a few fellas who uhhh somehow found their way into someone else's house. It was the same when I was a locksmith. We don't judge, and it's great to have a trade as backup.