MCFD's Hiring Process is Deeply Flawed
This may come across as a bit of a rant, but I am so frustrated with my inability to progress within MCFD due to the current hiring directive.
I am currently a SPO-21 and already perform many Child Protection Worker responsibilities within my office, with the exception of conducting removals independently and writing Report to Courts. I hold a social science degree and have a strong background working with vulnerable families in social services. For several months now, I have been encouraged to apply for SPO-24 positions, and advancing into that role is something I am very interested in.
However, my experience with recent competitions has left me feeling discouraged. Over the past several months, it appears that the majority of SPO-24 postings in the Lower Mainland will have, at some point, been extended beyond their original closing dates. I have applied for four closed competitions where this is the case, and have been screened out despite having a strong work record and meeting the qualifications under the expanded credentials. In each case, the feedback I received was that only candidates with preferred credentials were screened into the competition. It feels really wrong that MCFD would rather drag the screening process out over 1-1.5 months to accumulate enough BSW/BCYC applicant just so they can screen out everyone else. Despite being recognized as qualified under the hiring framework, it feels as though applicants with expanded credentials are not being given meaningful consideration, if at all.
What I find particularly discouraging is the rule that even if I am screened into a competition and earn the top score following the interview stage, I WILL still be unsuccessful if another candidate with a preferred credential achieves a minimum passing score (see page 10 of the MCFD Screening Guide for CFCSA Delegated SPO24 to 30 Competitions).
I understand the rationale behind preferred credentials, but it's been stated again and again by the Representative for Children and Youth that MCFD's focus on degree type rather than knowledge and experience is harmful to retention and service quality. It's literally the number 1 recommendation in the No Time to Wait report.
I get that I can have a good chance if I move to a hard-to-recruit community, that's not an option for my life circumstances right now.