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Retrospective: Security · Police · Fire Career Expo 2023

On Thursday, March 9, experienced professionals from security, police, fire, and paramedic services gathered at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., to discover new and prospective talent for their industries at the 2023 Security · Police · Fire Career Expo.

The room was abuzz with excited energy from both the attendees and the exhibitors. With over 340 people in the expo hall – including over 180 pre-registered attendees – and 47 booths, it was clear to see that this event was a must-attend for both job seekers and employers alike.

This day wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our sponsors. Thank you to our platinum level sponsors, Commissionaires and Ontario Fire Academy, who were also the lunch and coffee sponsors, respectively; and to our gold level sponsors Seneca, Waterloo Regional Police Service and York Regional Police. We’d also like to say thank you to our industry partners, ASIS International Toronto Chapter, Canadian Security Association (CANASA), International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS), and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

The expo floor opened at 10 a.m., and simultaneously, a session with the event’s mentors called “A Day in the Life” began. Attendees were able to speak with experienced officers, firefighters, and security professionals to see what their work lives might be like on a day-to-day basis.

At 11 a.m., students had the opportunity to participate in mock interviews with hiring professionals from each service. Due to high demand, the session was expanded from one panel table to three, and 23 attendees got the chance to answer questions and get feedback from industry leaders. Each of the eight panellists shared advice for how these candidates could perform optimally in future job interviews for careers in fire services, police, or security.

“This event gave me a giant leap forward in getting to where I want to be in my professional career,” said Malik Diaz-Mercurius, an aspiring firefighter who attended the expo with a friend.

Panelists included Chief Stuart Betts of the Peterborough Police Service; Sergeant Rich Gadreau of the recruiting unit for the Niagara Regional Police Service; Chief Bryan Burbidge, Deputy Chief Joe Bennett and Deputy Chief Tom Raeburn of Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services; Assistant Deputy Chief Claude Duval of Central York Fire Services; Jackalynn Robertson, a recruiter and human resource professional from Commissionaires; and Kristina Dudumas, manager of national security at PwC.

In the afternoon, attendees were given CPR demonstrations from PulsePoint Canada, and were able to sit in – and learn about the technology inside – a police cruiser that was brought by Waterloo Regional Police.

Some of the event’s exhibitors included the CN Police, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Sault Ste. Marie Police, Surrey Police Service, University of Toronto Campus Safety Special Constable Service, Vancouver Police Service, Waterloo Regional Police, York Regional Police, Central York Fire Services, Firehouse Training, Ontario Fire Administration, Richmond Hill Fire & Emergency Services, Toronto Paramedic Services, York Region Paramedic Services, Commissionaires, Cadillac Fairview, Justice Institute of British Columbia, Loblaw Companies Limited, GardaWorld, and Paladin Security.

The event ended at 3 p.m., with attendees and exhibitors leaving with smiles on their faces. “I’ve been to over 65 recruiting events in the last year, and this is by far the best one. I can’t emphasize the importance of this enough,” said Cst. Brennan Martin, recruiting unit, Calgary Police Service.

Stay tuned for details on our next career expo, coming to Calgary in October!

Scroll through the gallery below to see more pictures from the event.