Lack of work for reserve Pte/Cpls (especially infantry), how common is it?

[Naralis]

At our unit, and other Mtl based Infantry reserve regiments, there's currently a lack of Class B contracts for the summer. 30 soldiers wanted work, only 22 of them are getting it. Apart from Ceremonial Guard, there's nothing for people who aren't qualified to teach or drive (except for 1-2 GD/Driver posns). This seems like a pretty big oversight from the top-down. With aims to recruit 5000+ reservists, if they're signing up for the promised 8k+/summer and ending up with nothing after their 3 basic courses, they won't be motivated to stay in for very long, and all that recruiting just goes down the latrine.

In 34e Brigade, we recruited hundreds of new soldiers in the last few years, and now the ones who aren't ready for their chiefs course and aren't "lucky" enough to get on CG are stuck trying to find a last minute job in the civilian world, for less than half the pay. I understand there are budgetary constrains, and trng money can't just be passed on to reservists so they can have work during the summer without a good reason, but what can the Army due to solve this problem, and what is going to be done?

 

[chris06]

Hi Naralis,

I could understand a recruiter promising "an 8k summer" for men and women who are signing up and will be away on their initial courses. But did they say that you are entitled to this every year?  If they did, then they are doing a disservice to your unit because they've made promises they can't keep and that will reflect in your retention rates.  You are correct to make the link between recruitment and retention.  As someone who teaches HR recruitment, I can tell you that it is easy to recruit someone (in the CF and Civilian side)  but hard to retain someone if they aren't given the full information.

If they didn't make those promises of an 8k summer every year, and I suspect they didn't in those clear terms, then you can't be upset by the lack of summer work.  RUMINT and past experiences of older members shouldn't be taken as SOP for newer members who finished BIQ last summer and are looking for a Class B this summer. 

Maybe the new paradigm of the CF growing and our current commitments in Afghanistan have something to do with it, but that's speculation on my part and above my pay grade.

If jobs are few and far between in 34e Brigade this summer and if that may be a trend in the future, it certainly motivation to get on PLQ or a drivers course and coupled with a good attendance and attitude, you'll be an attractive candidate for the few class B courses next summer.

Best of luck in your job search!     

 

[medaid]

Does your units fwd you out of province taskings to other brigades, cadet camps so on and so forth? Because currently there are more jobs here at the 39 CBG HQ alone, then anyone could possibly fill. These are Class B contracts. So, ask your Ops/Trg staff about out of province taskings. Hope this helps! Cheers!