Life After the Army Experiences

[armychick2009]

I know med techs that have their civilian paramedic course can become paramedics but some of the older ones who joined before it became standard, don't have this training. However, my ex has been offered work overseas in undisclosed locations (close to the non-existent camp) by companies there. Locally? I'm not sure... he'd need to up his training in order to be considered. (He's one of those older ones that don't yet have that course).

My brother is a supply tech. He's been in for two years... he's already had a standing job offer for an airline manufacturing company for the supply department.

The trade I am going into... (hopefully!)... which I don't want to really announce on here yet as it's a small trade, has excellent job opportunities afterwards in a wide variety of fields. I was already in civilian life doing many of those jobs so I know that my position will be easily transferable. 

 

[mover1]

Go to the recruiter ask for Traffic Tech. MOS ID # 0170.
It has, and can, and will give you tons of skills that transfrom easily on to civvie st.
working with materials handling equipment, knowlege of Canada Customs procedures, you get taught the Sabre Airline Hosting system. (flight booking software) Shipping and receiving, Dangerous goods handling and receiving. Plus if your keen enough you can go flying as a loadmaster on the Herc's, C-17s, Airbuses and whatever else the Gov't is going to buy in a few years time.
Lots of travel lots of work and loads of fun.

 

[GeorgeD]

Aerospace Telecommunication & Information Systems Technician- The Recruiter Will give you a list of Colleges that are accepted to the CF and you can apply to the College of your Choice, then put in application to the CF.

CF pays your college and a Salary, and you get the Experience that many companies look for.


Same applies for the following:

Aerospace Telecommunication & Information Systems Technician
Biomedical Electronics Technologist
Cook
Dental Technician
Electronic-Optronic Technician - Land
Land Communication and Information Systems Technician
Marine Engineering Mechanic
Medical Laboratory Technologist
Medical Radiation Technologist
Naval Electronics Technician (Communications)
Naval Electronics Technician (Radar)
Naval Electronics Technician (Sonar)
Naval Weapons Technician
Vehicle Technician


The end result is you get an education, and you do your job. Should you decide to leave the CF after 5 yeas, 10 years or 25 years you have this education.

 

[old fart]

SCAN is seriously flawed, and as currently constituted, a waste of effort. Here's my view...

SCAN should consist of at least three phases:

1. the young "soldier" who moves from BE to IE gets a seminar and gets introduced to the second career planning cycle. The sessions can include such things as skills and education upgrading, for example;

2. between 10 and 15 years service, a follow-up session is attended. This should allow for members to check their progress, and if necessary, get back on track while there's still time to do so; and

3. SCAN in a format similar to the current one that focuses on transition to civilian life.


I can't overstate my philosophy that retirement planning starts at the beginning of a career, not at the end.

Apart from a couple of presentation with regard to pension payment rules (if you are to get one), and some taxation aspects (RRSP transfer of severance pay) SCAN is a waste of taxpayers money. The only folks who derive any benefit are the crew that take the show on the road, both Canada and overseas.

To be even more blunt, the CF offers no real transition for many (particularly Combat Arms folks) as they leave the CF for pastures new. While not SCAN related, the Education Reimbursement (ER) Program is aimed improvising your usefulness to the CF not your employability in Civvi street. "ER provides financial assistance to Regular Force officers and NCMs who, through part-time study, wish to upgrade their educational or professional qualifications in the interests of the CF.

Even the Skill Enhancement Program (essentially upgrade your qualifications from your military MOS that have a civilian equivalent); try that on as Combat Engineer or infantryman etc.
What would I like to see as a service leaver......A real career transition program, one that provides benefits tied to length of service. 

For instance, and as a minimum, less than ten years sit in on the briefings to get a pitch from Scotia Bank, resume help etc, basically as SCAN is now less the pension related presentations.

With more than than 10 YOS and definitely at 20/25 YOS, graduated and increased transition benefits.  Essentially a real post CF re-training and job placement program.  This is totally lacking now.
Until our service members have such a benefit to prepare them for the civilian world the CF will continue to get off extremely light for the years of service contributed by the member.

I saw SCAN for what it was years ago, nothing but a self licking ice cream for those that take it on the road no matter how well meaning the individuals who present are.

The program is folks a pile of....well you know.  I think our service leavers deserve far more than what is offered now. 

If we had such a program, I firmly believe it would add to retention particularly of folks who serve a lifetime in the hard combat arms with no civilian equivalent employment, knowing that you can stay in those occupations for life as many do, and have a chance of getting gainful employment on exit from the CF.

Old fart...

 

[Journeyman]

The CF recruiting website lists civilian equivalences of all trades. Even those unique trades without direct civilian equivalencies, such as Infantry, note,

The Infantry Soldier occupation is uniquely military and has no civilian equivalent; however, the experience Infantry Soldiers gain in the use and maintenance of vehicles, communications equipment, weapons and tools of all types is highly applicable to many civilian jobs. More important,* an experienced Infantry Soldier has the self-confidence, integrity, loyalty and trustworthiness that good employers want. Infantry leadership skills are also highly desirable to civilian employers.

As for the comment:

I firmly believe it [an effective second-career program] would add to retention

...are you serious?
You believe that helping people get out of the CF completely will somehow, miraculously aid in their staying in? 

Just look at the heartache and hand-wrining in this thread concerning people transferring from RegF to Reserve...within the same military! With that thread's arguments in mind, actively helping the troops take their skills completely away from the military will miraculously convince them to stay in is some leap of logic. :stars:


I do agree whole-heartedly, however, that the SCAN program is a cash-wasting piece of crap.
I also feel that if you're not able to market yourself, given the training and experience the CF already provides its personnel, no amount of SCAN PowerPoints are likely to help you. Sensitivity isn't my strong suit.



* I'm sure they mean "more importantly." Despite joining the CF with a Gr 10 education, those 'benefits from the training and experience offered throughout my career' have learned me some stuff.   

 

[ModlrMike]

Apart from a couple of presentation with regard to pension payment rules (if you are to get one), and some taxation aspects (RRSP transfer of severance pay) SCAN is a waste of taxpayers money. The only folks who derive any benefit are the crew that take the show on the road, both Canada and overseas.

My thoughts exactly.

To be even more blunt, the CF offers no real transition for many (particularly Combat Arms folks) as they leave the CF for pastures new. While not SCAN related, the Education Reimbursement (ER) Program is aimed improvising your usefulness to the CF not your employability in Civvi street. "ER provides financial assistance to Regular Force officers and NCMs who, through part-time study, wish to upgrade their educational or professional qualifications in the interests of the CF.

Quite true, but the two goals don't have to be mutually exclusive. Increasing one's worth to the CF can greatly enhance post CF opportunities.

Even the Skill Enhancement Program (essentially upgrade your qualifications from your military MOS that have a civilian equivalent); try that on as Combat Engineer or infantryman etc.
What would I like to see as a service leaver......A real career transition program, one that provides benefits tied to length of service. 

For instance, and as a minimum, less than ten years sit in on the briefings to get a pitch from Scotia Bank, resume help etc, basically as SCAN is now less the pension related presentations.

With more than than 10 YOS and definitely at 20/25 YOS, graduated and increased transition benefits.  Essentially a real post CF re-training and job placement program.  This is totally lacking now.
Until our service members have such a benefit to prepare them for the civilian world the CF will continue to get off extremely light for the years of service contributed by the member.

No reasons that can't be rolled into my proposals.

I saw SCAN for what it was years ago, nothing but a self licking ice cream for those that take it on the road no matter how well meaning the individuals who present are.

The program is folks a pile of....well you know.  I think our service leavers deserve far more than what is offered now. 

If we had such a program, I firmly believe it would add to retention particularly of folks who serve a lifetime in the hard combat arms with no civilian equivalent employment, knowing that you can stay in those occupations for life as many do, and have a chance of getting gainful employment on exit from the CF.

Old fart...

 

[old fart]

Journeyman, I am quite happy on where I am going when I call it a day and with respects to the prospects available/offered to me. 

That chapter remains to be written but had a left at 20 years, (or even after 10-20) of my own volition I am sure I would have benefited from a better transition or meaningful program.

And as for retention, yes I do believe that a better program providing real transition services would help.

Yours aye.

 

[CallOfDuty]

Go to the recruiter ask for Traffic Tech. MOS ID # 0170.
It has, and can, and will give you tons of skills that transfrom easily on to civvie st.
working with materials handling equipment, knowlege of Canada Customs procedures, you get taught the Sabre Airline Hosting system. (flight booking software) Shipping and receiving, Dangerous goods handling and receiving. Plus if your keen enough you can go flying as a loadmaster on the Herc's, C-17s, Airbuses and whatever else the Gov't is going to buy in a few years time.
Lots of travel lots of work and loads of fun.

  Hey mover.....I used to work for Air Canada, doing ramp work, and cargo work, etc etc.  I left there to join the military because of the job instability.  Are there any other cvillian jobs that  a traffic tech could do, besides working for Air Canada....or the no-name ramp/cargo workers?  Does DND employ civillian traffic techs?

 

[Rigger7710(F)]

  Hey there Rigger.  I see you were AVN.  Are you getting job offers in the same line of work?

Job offers started to come in when I was a MCpl. An aircraft manufacturer was the first to offer me a job at their plant.  Then, as a Sgt, more offers came in. This kept increasing as I went up in rank. I have received job offers by contractors to work hands-on on military aircraft overhauls and also on support staff jobs for same for maintenance records, QA, Technical Pub writer, and Tech pub manager. Some companies that manufactured some aircraft parts for the CF have approached me to go to work for them.  One airline company offered me a job as maintenance planner. I found out that many companies prefer ex-military over those with no military background. Higher education is not always the key to get good jobs.  Many of  us as military or ex-military often don't recognize our value to the job market and underestimate our possibilities.  Of course, the trade we're in is a big factor for the number of opportunities, but regardless, that is still true for any trade.  As for my decisions to refuse job offers, that was because I loved the military life so much that I wanted nothing else.  Nothing can top that, so I prefer being fully retired than going to work for a civvy outfit.

 

[CallOfDuty]

  Thank you for your reply Rigger

 

[armychick2009]

Sort of slightly off base with this info but kind of relevant.

There's a facebook group dedicated to military folk making the transition to civilian life... and they have a website. You can find the group by searching for "Military to Civvie Street: Job Insight" and her website is : http://www.resumeresources.ca

She is the spouse of a military member who helps with the transitioning. Maybe her site has some useful info.

 

[mover1]

  Hey mover.....I used to work for Air Canada, doing ramp work, and cargo work, etc etc.  I left there to join the military because of the job instability.  Are there any other cvillian jobs that  a traffic tech could do, besides working for Air Canada....or the no-name ramp/cargo workers?  Does DND employ civillian traffic techs?

Shipper receiver. pick a company
Travel agent.....look for employment
DND...yes we have civvies working with us.
there are tons of job openings right now with CATSA looking for people with experience to fill some of their higher paying jobs. (I have a buddy who just took one in T.O. he was a WO)
And a few others if your willing to look. sorry Air Canada didn't work out for you but seriously its a great trade.

 

[CallOfDuty]

Hey, I know what a good trade you have!  I wanted it from the get-go, but was told it was closed( didn't want to wait out).....I really enjoyed my job at AC.  I've met a few Tfc techs over  the years, and when asked about liking their jobs, I always got a positive answer.  The only complaint I've heard was that it was a little too operationally busy( time away from family).

 

[GunSlingerr]

Hello Everyone,

I recently made a switch on my application and decided to take the infantry soldier route. It's something that I've always wanted to do and I realize that I'm at the perfect point in my life to take full advantage of this opportunity and truly make a difference.

I know there aren't too many jobs that relate to the infantry soldier outside of the forces but if I choose to serve for say 5-10 years and decide that I'd like a different career, what careers should I consider? What careers did some of you choose to pursue?

Having only finished half a degree in college, I'm not too sure I'd have many options. I apologize in advance if this question has been asked before, I've read around on the forums and found some insight on this topic but a lot of the answers are suggestions. What I'm more interested in is what others have experienced after life in the Army and the career paths that they took.

If anyone would like to chime in and share their experience, that would be great!

 

[Inspir]

DynCorp International is an option. My brother joined them when he released. Making very good money. However he is gone a lot.

 

[GunSlingerr]

I've never heard of them before. I'll have to look into that a little bit.

 

[mariomike]

I know there aren't too many jobs that relate to the infantry soldier outside of the forces but if I choose to serve for say 5-10 years and decide that I'd like a different career, what careers should I consider?

This may help.

"an infantry soldier (NCM) gets released after the set period of service, that applicant has only a high school diploma, so what kind of civilian career can that individual start right away? besides becoming a police officer. a well paid career."
http://army.ca/forums/threads/91423/post-901702.html#msg901702

 

[GreenWood]

You can always go finish a degree...

 

[Teager]

I would suggest trying to get your education finished if at all possible. If you are ever injured your education will be one of the most important things you have. If you are injured yes your education may be paid for but that can be another few years before getting a new career. If you already have the education you will be ahead of the game plus you may be able to build on that education.

I'm giving you this advice as an injured member with only a high school diploma. I was a Combat Engineer and got a ton of experience but unfortunately my injuries don't allow for a labour job where the majority of experience would come in handy. Just my  :2c:

 

[stealthylizard]

Don't burn any bridges to jobs you hold prior to enlisting in the military.  They may be useful after you have decided the military isn't the life you thought it would be.  I was hired back within a week of leaving the military, 3 years after I had quit.  The work didn't last long, but I got a referral from my boss to try a different position in the company, and the map reading skills I learned through the infantry came in handy.

Simply having military service on your resume may be enough to get your foot in the door, even if your service has no direct transferable skills.  Employers like people that can work without supervision, are punctual, can pay attention to detail, and listen rather than speak - which are all skills picked up through service.