So You Want To Be A Private Investigator.
What do you think of when you picture a private investigator? Cheating spouses? Flashy cars? A snub-nosed .38 tucked in to trench coat pocket? Cheating spouse cases are big part of what some PIs do, but not all of us. In fact, I don’t take those types of cases at all. My car is boring, I don’t own a gun, and I haven’t worn a trench coat in years.
Most of my work in criminal defence: I’ve worked homicide, robberies, and sexual assault cases by collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and helping lawyers prepare for trial. It is important work but it’s not for everyone.
The great thing about this job is you can do a lot of different things and no two cases are the same. In addition to my criminal defence work, I’ve done everything from background checks for major corporate clients, to romance scam investigations and reuniting estranged family members.
It’s Not Like The Movies. It’s Better.
This job is not “exciting” in the way TV and movies make it out be. No car chases or gun battles, but it is more satisfying than I ever imagined — when you reunite a mother and son after 30 years apart with only a common name to go on, or when you save a corporate client tens of thousands of dollars on a business deal after your background check convinces them to drop it, it’s a feeling like no other.
How I Started:
I have been in this industry professionally for nearly a decade, but I wanted to be a PI in seventh grade. I read everything I could about the “real world” of private investigators — some good, some not so good.
Good: There are lots of books aimed at people curious about becoming a private investigator.
Not-so-good: They are almost all for the US market They are also, typically, quite dated.
If I count that as my first foray in to the world of investigation, it would take me almost 20 years to have my own agency. I’ve learned a lot about what to do and what not to do. It wasn’t easy. I took a lot of divergent paths to get where I am.
Now It’s Your Turn.
Our online course allows you to work at your own pace, on your computer, tablet, or phone. Our education portal tracks your progress so after you take a break and come back, you will be right where you left off.
We also provide you with ample opportunity to test your knowledge, in order to prepare you for the government exam, including module quizzes and a practice final exam.
What’s Included:
There are nine modules included in this course:
- Introduction to the Investigation Industry
- Professionalism and Ethics
- Health & Safety
- Law & The Canadian Legal System
- Use of Force
- Investigations
- Communications and Report Writing
- Specialized Investigations
- The Business of Investigations
These nine modules will give you the foundation you need to write the exam, obtain your license, and begin your career.
Ready to sign up? Click the button below:
Before you begin your course, be sure to download the Alberta Investigator Training participant manual, available from the Government of Alberta here.
Terms & Conditions
- 1. Your access to the course will expire one year from your date of enrollment.
2. Should your access expire and you have not completed the course, you will be required to pay the registration fee again to regain access and complete the course.
3. Students are responsible for booking their provincial exam upon completion of the course. We will assist in this process once you have completed. Students are responsible for any fees charged by a third-party invigilator.
4. Should the student fail their first attempt at the exam, they are responsible for paying additional exam fees ($35 + GST) to Gilliam Burke Investigations in addition to any fees charged by the third-party exam centre, prior to the student sitting the exam. Please note a no-show is considered an attempt, and any subsequent attempts will be subject to marking fees. A student is considered a no-show if they do not attend their scheduled date, or if they do not inform us of any changes or rescheduling.
5. It is the student’s responsibility to determine if they meet the licensing eligibility requirements as set out by the Solicitor General prior to signing up for the course. If a student determines after signing up they do not meet requirements, they are welcome to continue and complete the course, but no refund will be issued.
6. All payments are processed through either Stripe or Paypal, American companies headquartered in the USA.
7. As per the Solicitor General regulations, you have two years to pass the provincial examination from the date of your course completion. Should you not attempt and/or pass the provincial examination in that time, you will be required to pay the registration fee, and re-enroll in the course.
8. Once the course is purchased, the course fee is non-refundable.
9. These terms are subject to change. Should a student still be taking the course, or in the process of passing their provincial exam, the more recent terms will be the ones that apply. By paying for the enrollment fee, you agree to these terms.