Initial Questions

[Anrhydedd]

Hello!  I am posting here to try and find some answers to a few questions that have arisen in my research into a possible career with the CAF. Firstly, I'll mention I just finished my 11th year of school and have of course been deciding what I want to do with my future. No matter what I seem to do, the CAF seems to draw me back in. Though, not coming from a military family (save for a few distant servicemen), I have a lot of questions, but I'll start with the ones I feel are most relevant.

While its hard to say what I'll want to be doing in one year, or even 10 years for that matter, the positions in the field of Infantry and Armour intrigue me greatly. Though, I feel I'd like to pursue an Officer role. My question is: Is Direct Entry less feasible than Paid Education? Is one preferred over the other? Obviously the Paid Education route would give me earlier military life experience, a way of life that is foreign to me. However, personally I feel like I'd prefer to go to University on my own. Mostly because I'd like to take classes that could be useful to me should I find after a few years the military is not for me. If one does go the Direct Entry route, are there recommended classes he/she takes? I'm assuming they could easily turn you down if your course choices didn't reflect your career goal. I talked to a recruiter at the last jobs fair, but she seemed somewhat disinterested to be honest.

Regardless whether or not I manage to pursue an Officer's position in the Infantry or Armour, I can most assuredly say I will serve at some point, should life permit me to do so. I think if I didn't I'd strongly regret it later in life. On that note, any help is greatly appreciated and I look forward to learning more on this forum.

Thanks! 

 

[Master Corporal Steven]

Good day Anrhydedd,

Every occupation has minimum educational requirements, Officer occupations may have a specific degree as a requirement for that occupation.

The Direct Entry Officer (DEO) Entry plan is only one of many available entry plans to join the CAF as a Officer. Applying DEO means that you already have a university degree suitable for the occupation that you are applying for.

There are several Paid Education entry plans which will pay your tuition and pay you a salary to attend post secondary school to obtain the required education for your chosen occupation. The time to apply would be the fall that you begin your final year of high school. More information on the Paid education entry plans is provided on our recruiting website at the following link: http://www.forces.ca/en/page/paideducation-96

If becoming a Pilot is of interest to you then you can obtain a degree in flying through our partnership with Seneca College. More information can be found on Seneca College's website at the following link: http://www.senecacollege.ca/school/aviation/rcaf/

During the application process to join the CAF applicants are processed for their chosen occupations based on the entry plan that they have chosen and not against other applicants that have chosen a different entry plan for the occupation.

      For example if Occupation A is open and now hiring with 20 available positions for Paid Education Plan B and 0 available positions for Entry Plan DEO then only those applicants that have applied for Paid Education Plan B will have their applications evaluated against the other applicants that also chosen Paid Education Plan B. The Applications that have chosen Entry Plan DEO will not be look at for Occupation A until positions become available for Entry Plan DEO .

Also in addition to the previous information on entry plans, as you are unsure of the path that you wish to take then maybe part time service in a primary reserve unit in your area while you finish high school might be a good idea for you. Click on the Part Time tab when you are on the recruiting website to view more information on the Primary Reserve Force.

 

[Anrhydedd]

That was my thought. Before I took an interest in the military, I actually assumed an Officer role was something you were awarded after service as a soldier. Still, I can't help but be curious. But come to think of it, I don't know how comfortable I'd be commanding people who had been there for years. I could see the whole "brat kid with a degree" kinda thing happening. Either way, still curious just for curiosities sake but I have some stuff to think about. 

 

[Anrhydedd]

      For example if Occupation A is open and now hiring with 20 available positions for Paid Education Plan B and 0 available positions for Entry Plan DEO then only those applicants that have applied for Paid Education Plan B will have their applications evaluated against the other applicants that also chosen Paid Education Plan B. The Applications that have chosen Entry Plan DEO will not be look at for Occupation A until positions become available for Entry Plan DEO .

Also in addition to the previous information on entry plans, as you are unsure of the path that you wish to take then maybe part time service in a primary reserve unit in your area while you finish high school might be a good idea for you. Click on the Part Time tab when you are on the recruiting website to view more information on the Primary Reserve Force.

Hmm, very interesting. Thank you very much for the help and I have some more to think about. My understanding is much better now. So do some people that join up as Infantry Soldiers serve for an extended period, then change their career path to that of an Officer?
Thanks

 

[Loachman]

Please take the time to read through older threads on this Site and try out the Handy-Dandy Search Function rather than ask questions that have been asked and answered many times before. You'll likely find answers to questions before those questions even occur to you.

 

[Anrhydedd]

Please take the time to read through older threads on this Site and try out the Handy-Dandy Search Function rather than ask questions that have been asked and answered many times before. You'll likely find answers to questions before those questions even occur to you.

Understood, though keywords often yield widely differing subjects which pertain no meaning to me. But of course, I'll try to take a thorough look through this site.

 

[Master Corporal Steven]

Good Day Anrhydedd,

When conducting your search advance through the pages on the Ask A CAF recruiter form to view all previously asked questions which will provide you with the information to answer multiple questions that you may have. Read posts with the topics of Component Transfer (CT) or Occupational Transfer (OT) for some of the information you are seeking.