Constable Chris Button visited Laurier Brantford today on behalf of the Hamilton Police Service to give hope to students pursuing the competitive industry of police servicing.

Const. Button outlined the detailed hiring process and all of the steps one has to follow to a small group of students in Laurier Brantford’s Research and Academic Centre. This helped students understand what will be expected during the hiring process, and how they can better themselves before going through with it.

“I was glad he went into more detail about the hiring process,” said Brian Kloet, a third year criminology student.

Const. Button advised prospective police officers to hold down a job and be patient before expecting a job in the police department.

“I want to work and travel a bit before I apply,” said Kloet. “I’m in no hurry.”

Const. Button was able to give hope to students that they could find work in Hamilton. “We’re always looking to hire. It’s very competitive, but there are jobs available.” He said they hired roughly 35 people in the past year, though they received close to 600 applications.

Contrary to the past, Const. Button explained that virtually all successful candidates must attend some kind of post-secondary institution. He spoke about the importance of short-term and long-term education and how he himself has taken online courses to further his learning.

Const. Button explained how nowadays, education has become a prerequisite rather than an advantage, which is why graduates should not expect a job immediately following school. “The interview process is based heavily off of life experience,” he explained. “Obviously, the older you are, the more life experience you have.”

Const. Button encouraged students to apply out of school, despite the odds. “The interview process, which can take up to a year or more, gives you the life experience that we’re looking for.”