Education is closely linked to career mobility. The figure shows that the vast majority of senior managers pursued postsecondary education. In fact, almost two thirds (65%) had master's or Ph.D. degrees, while just less than one third (30%) had bachelor's degrees. Two senior managers in the sample held high school diplomas.

The managers in the sample held a total of 89 degrees, and most had at least two. Some obtained as many as four different degrees during their careers. The fields of study varied across a wide range of arts and science disciplines. General arts, psychology, criminology and education dominated the fields chosen for bachelor's degrees. For master's degrees, criminology was most common, surpassing all other disciplines (12 out of a total of 36). Social work, public administration and education were the next most common choices.

While education is an important factor in career progression, formal education is only one part of it. For a senior manager in this organization, learning, through various situations and media, is a vital part of successful managing. Unlike in the past, when they were primarily seen and heard, senior managers must now look and listen as never before. The decisions that they make must reflect a knowledge of, and sensitivity to, all of the internal and external groups that influence the system.

When asked what skills were most important for their careers, just over two thirds (67%) of respondents ranked communication as most important, but various other managerial skills were also highly ranked including analytical, managerial and leadership abilities.

What were these senior managers doing immediately before they began their first job in corrections? Most were students attending university (16 respondents). Other common occupations were: secondary school teacher ⁽⁷⁾, worker in private industry ⁽⁵⁾, public servant ⁽³⁾, social worker ⁽³⁾, probation officer ⁽³⁾, volunteer worker ⁽¹⁾, psychologist ⁽¹⁾ and member of the military ⁽¹⁾.

When asked why they chose a career in corrections, about half of those who responded stated that they had a prior interest in corrections. Another 22% were working in corrections as volunteers, summer students or in field placements. These two categories - previous interest and volunteer or student involvement -when combined, account for almost three quarters (72%) of responses. Six of the senior managers (17%) entered the field of corrections because of either the availability of employment or the opportunity for a career change. Four (11%) entered corrections for reasons related to salary or job stability. The common circumstances among these senior managers were that, for the most part, they liked corrections and became committed to it early in their careers.

How did these future senior managers begin their careers with the Correctional Service of Canada? Twenty-four (60%) began as case management officers - 15 (37%) as case management officers in the community and 9 (23%) as case management officers in an institution. Five were initially employed as teachers in institutions, two were psychologists and two were employed as correctional officers. The remainder began their careers in one of the following positions: case management supervisor ⁽¹⁾, social development officer ⁽¹⁾, food services officer ⁽¹⁾, secretary ⁽¹⁾, finance officer ⁽¹⁾, head, social development ⁽¹⁾, co-ordinator, regional community services ⁽¹⁾ and assistant director ⁽¹⁾.

Half of the managers (50%) spent six months to two years in their first position, while about one third (32%) spent between two and four years in this job. A minority (18%) spent more than four years in their first position.

For more than half of these managers (22 or 55%), their second position involved a lateral move as opposed to a promotion.

The career progression of these future senior managers began to take shape as they gained their second promotion. A substantial proportion entered into supervisory and management positions early in their careers: 22% became area managers (parole) while another 18% moved into positions at the level of assistant warden (e.g., assistant warden, socialization, education and training or technical services). Others moved into initial management positions in correctional programs (e.g., head, social development) or operations (e.g., head, living unit), or into various positions at regional or national headquarters.

The average (mean) length of time these managers spent in their second career position was just less than two years (20 months), while the most common (modal) length of time was considerably less at one year.

Career paths often did not involve promotions directly from one level to the next. Of the senior managers who eventually attained positions as district directors, the vast majority (15 of 22) first experienced a number of lateral moves or promotions to positions at institutions and headquarters. Many who began their careers as case management officers on the community side (i.e., parole officers) moved on to institutional management positions, became middle managers (typically assistant warden, socialization), and then moved to a regional or national headquarters position before returning to a community office as the district director.

The great variety in the period of time spent in first and second positions and in the types of jobs taken illustrates that there is no particular career path that aspiring employees should follow in pursuing a career with the Correctional Service of Canada. Instead, it is evident that all manner of job assignments and time frames contribute to career development, with the underlying key factors being flexibility and mobility. The findings show that frequent movement among institutional, community and headquarters positions is, in fact, the norm.

There were key positions held by respondents, however. Just as the majority of these senior managers were case management officers early in their careers, the most common mid-career position was assistant warden, socialization. Just over half of the senior managers ⁽²¹⁾ held this position at one time or another. Other common mid-career positions were assistant warden, security ⁽⁵⁾ and assistant warden, education and training ⁽⁵⁾.

These findings clearly dispel the notion that there is a direct vertical career path leading to management positions. As further evidence of this, we found that these senior managers occupied an average of seven different positions in an average time span of 13 years - a new position almost every two years - before attaining the position of warden or district director. On average, of the six positions held after the first one, three were lateral transfers and three were promotions. This fifty-fifty split between lateral transfers and promotions indicates that the broadening of experience through lateral moves is as important as promotions in career advancement.

Lateral moves were often also geographic moves, an observation which highlights the importance of mobility. Each senior manager made an average of five geographic moves before becoming a district director or warden. These moves helped managers broaden their background of experience and skills. In fact, 23 of the 40 respondents (58%) had a combination of institutional and headquarters (regional or national) experience. Of these 23 senior managers, 4 (17%) had moved once, 13 (56%) moved twice and 6 (26%) had moved between three and five times before obtaining their first warden or district director position. A significant number (13 or 34%) had a combination of institutional, community-office and headquarters experience. Similarly 14 (37%) had both community and institutional experience. Very few managers in the study had only institutional or community-office experience.

Secondments to regional and national headquarters were most often mentioned as providing the most valuable job experience. But another factor also proved important to many -mentoring. Several mentioned that a warden or senior manager had taken an interest in their development at some point in their career.

The career paths of respondents exhibit how these senior managers adhere to a continuous learning philosophy. At the time of the study, 27 had progressed beyond the level of warden or district director into positions providing new career experience. On average, these 27 experienced three lateral moves and one promotion after their first warden or district director position (in an average span of five years).

Thus, for most senior managers later in their careers, lateral transfers surpassed promotions in frequency by almost three to one. For example, 27% of the senior managers moved into a second warden or district director position, and 16% held anywhere from three to five different warden or district director positions. The remainder moved into positions within regional or national headquarters.

Despite careful preparation, however you choose to express it, fortuitous circumstance (or pure luck) remains a powerful factor in career progression, and a daunting one at that. At first glance, it seems to override such important elements as education, experience and personal commitment. But, even as being in the right place at the right time is supported by one senior manager, it is qualified by the next: "When you think about it, luck is actually that moment when opportunity meets preparation. If you have the preparation, you'll recognize the opportunity."

Typical career paths do not exist for those aspiring to senior operations positions in the Correctional Service of Canada. Instead, this study found that there was as much lateral movement as there was vertical movement (i.e., promotions). Moreover, the lateral and vertical moves spanned the gamut of positions in corrections.

While most of the managers who responded placed a high value on education, something more important was highlighted - learning. A willingness to learn was undoubtedly the single most important factor in shaping the careers of these managers. Mobility was also crucial, and the study shows that it was closely related to learning. Learning in itself was not enough; managers had to be prepared to move to take advantage of opportunities, experience new positions and develop their skills.

Finally, a strong sense of self and of personal values emerged from the responses of these managers: they are committed to doing a good job, to helping offenders and staff members and to maintaining a stable life outside of corrections.