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CFAT scores qualify for Sig, Intelligence, tech trades, but not Infantry?

allista

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I would like to preface this by saying THE CAF DOES NOT OWE ME ANYTHING, and that despite the results I received, I would serve this country faithfully in any capacity provided I am given the opportunity.


So I did my CFAT today and was told I didn't make the cutoff for infantry yet several tech trades that most definitely required higher scores (it's not as if I know, but I'd assume so) were made available to me strangely enough.

I'm definitely aware of my math and spatial weaknesses but I was sure I'd score high enough on all categories to at least make the cutoff for infantry, though I asked around on Reddit and was told my scores may have been enough to qualify for infanteer, but not enough to be competitive on the CL or the PCL.

I've gotten rather vague answers regarding this and the recruiting officer who sat me down for a debrief was rather vague talking about all the benefits of intel, signals, etc trying to wave a chance to get a security clearance in front of me (he even mentioned "secret squirrel" jobs lmao). Wouldn't I be more than qualified for infantry if I received an offer for most tech trades and signal operator in addition to intel?

I'm rather confused and considering either requesting a rewrite or dropping my application entirely and trying again later when after a prolonged period of study and research, don't want to get shoehorned into a job I don't want. Is it possible that my results/the full list of jobs I qualified for are being withheld in favor of trying to shoehorn me into one of the more in-demand occupations? Could use some advice here fellas, thanks!
 
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Solution
allista, while I do not know your actual score, it is certainly possible to meet the minimum required score for Intelligence Operator, Signals Technician, and MP while not meeting the minimum for Infantry Soldier, regardless of the PCL. This is because the minimum requirements by trade are not simply based off of total score. While some trades do simply have a minimum total score (such as the majority of technician trades), others also have a minimum score specifically for Verbal Skills, Spatial Ability, Problem Solving, or a sum of 2 sections. As such, it is possible to have a high enough total CFAT score for Infantry Soldier, but fail to meet minimum score requirements if you score too low in a specific section.

One question I have...
Over worked and under paid demoninantly. Sigs are required for almost every aspect of a modern military, so once the trade lost enough people, those that are left pick up the slack. The officer corps are trained more of IT project managers than military leaders so it accelerates the problems. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but that love will eventually hit its limit if things don't change.
 
Over worked and under paid demoninantly. Sigs are required for almost every aspect of a modern military, so once the trade lost enough people, those that are left pick up the slack. The officer corps are trained more of IT project managers than military leaders so it accelerates the problems. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but that love will eventually hit its limit if things don't change.
That is unfortunate to hear, here's hoping that a real need for sigs leads to some real change in leadership and a serious look at the issues that have caused such an exodus from the trade.
 
allista, while I do not know your actual score, it is certainly possible to meet the minimum required score for Intelligence Operator, Signals Technician, and MP while not meeting the minimum for Infantry Soldier, regardless of the PCL. This is because the minimum requirements by trade are not simply based off of total score. While some trades do simply have a minimum total score (such as the majority of technician trades), others also have a minimum score specifically for Verbal Skills, Spatial Ability, Problem Solving, or a sum of 2 sections. As such, it is possible to have a high enough total CFAT score for Infantry Soldier, but fail to meet minimum score requirements if you score too low in a specific section.

One question I have is if you were told that you qualified for Gunner or Armoured Soldier, as they have the same minimum CFAT requirements as Infantry Soldier, but are much less competitive trades. Additionally, some of the trades that you were offered, such as Intelligence Operator, tend to be much more competitive than Infantry Soldier and have some of the highest PCLs of any NCM trades... which means you either have a high total score, or the PCL does not apply to you (perhaps due to considerations of Employment Equity).

 
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Solution
One question I have is if you were told that you qualified for Gunner or Armoured Soldier, as they have the same minimum CFAT requirements as Infantry Soldier, but are much less competitive trades. Additionally, some of the trades that you were offered, such as Intelligence Operator, tend to be much more competitive than Infantry Soldier and have some of the highest PCLs of any NCM trades... which means you either have a high total score, or the PCL does not apply to you (perhaps due to considerations of Employment Equity).
Hi,
I was told that I didn't qualify for any combat arms jobs (however only infantry was mentioned), but your comment about Employment Equity has piqued my interest because as far as I know, under Employment Equity the PCL is not applicable to members of visible minorities, of which I am. Is it possible that this fact was overlooked by the recruiting detachment?

That being said, your explanation of my predicament makes a lot of sense to me, I can see how my scores could have factored in while the PCL appears to have been the "nail in the coffin" so to speak.
 
Hi,
I was told that I didn't qualify for any combat arms jobs (however only infantry was mentioned), but your comment about Employment Equity has piqued my interest because as far as I know, under Employment Equity the PCL is not applicable to members of visible minorities, of which I am. Is it possible that this fact was overlooked by the recruiting detachment?

That being said, your explanation of my predicament makes a lot of sense to me, I can see how my scores could have factored in while the PCL appears to have been the "nail in the coffin" so to speak.

Did you have your medical done before you were told that you didn't qualify for infantry? If so, then it is possible that you may have been so informed because your vision category (V4? - as per your question in another thread) does not meet the minimum required for any of the combat trades.
 
allista, by the sounds of it, it was not the PCL but your CFAT score by section that is the reason why you were not offered to be processed for combat arms trades, including Infantry Soldier. As I stated, it is possible to meet the minimum CFAT scores for many technician trades while not meeting it for combat arms trades, although it is uncommon. It does not appear that the recruiting staff overlooked anything.
 
Did you have your medical done before you were told that you didn't qualify for infantry? If so, then it is possible that you may have been so informed because your vision category (V4? - as per your question in another thread) does not meet the minimum required for any of the combat trades.
I had my CFAT prior to my medical so I can assume it was largely due to my CFAT/TSD scores.
 
allista, by the sounds of it, it was not the PCL but your CFAT score by section that is the reason why you were not offered to be processed for combat arms trades, including Infantry Soldier. As I stated, it is possible to meet the minimum CFAT scores for many technician trades while not meeting it for combat arms trades, although it is uncommon. It does not appear that the recruiting staff overlooked anything.
Yeah, I think I'm starting to see the bigger picture. Didn't study hard enough, came in at a bad time likely intellectually and physically (eyesight), couldn't make the cut-off, that's on me. I hold no ill will towards the CF regarding any of this.

I greatly appreciate your and everyone else's input on my issues trying to join the Forces and apologize for wasting everyone's time.

Frankly, I'm considering putting my application on hold for dropping it entirely, getting my eyes fixed, studying my butt off for the CFAT and trying the whole process again in a few years. I don't want to end up being pigeonholed into a job I don't want and messing up my life because I was too eager to get my foot in the door.

Thanks again to everyone for their input and advice, here's hoping I make it in one of these days!
 
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