Should i join canadian armed forces

As a full-time member, you will start with 20 paid vacation days per year. These can normally be scheduled around training and operational requirements. The vacation time will increase throughout your career, to a maximum of 30 days. If you enrol as a part-time member, you will receive one paid vacation day for each 15 consecutive calendar days. Our pension plans provide you with peace of mind today and for years to come.

Whether you are joining full time or part-time, you can rest assured that you can retire with a pension. The Canadian Armed Forces CAF recognizes that education is the best investment an organization can make toward the development of its members and has a number of paid education plans for college, university and graduate-level programs.

Learn more about our Paid Education programs. A modernized training and education platform ensures soldiers receive the training they need at each step of their careers. Education within the CAF focuses not only on the military application of job specific roles, but also on marketable skills that can prepare a Member for life outside the CAF. The same applies for the PLAR in process, where civilians with post-secondary accreditation can receive advanced standing upon joining the Forces.

Canadian Armed Forces members and Department of National Defence employees have access to the Defence Learning Network which houses technologically advanced professional development tools, courses and training. When you join the Canadian Armed Forces you join a diverse community that fosters lifelong friendships and provides programs and support for you and your family.

Individuals in the Canadian Armed Forces will always be seen as a soldier first, regarded for your duty, work and contributions above all else. The Forces welcome applicants from all genders, religions, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

In the Canadian Armed Forces we have over job opportunities that come with excellent pay and benefits. You also have the opportunity to take time and improve your skills through education at any point in your career. The path that you choose will depend on your skillset, interests and educational background. You can make the military a very rewarding growth experience if you prepare yourself before joining. Here are the top 10 things you need to consider before meeting with a recruiter:.

Joining the military is usually a life-defining decision. Your greatest opportunity for a successful enlistment or longer career will suffer if you have been "talked into" joining. Make sure you can articulate the basis of your desire to join and be confident in your decision. The purpose of basic training, or "boot camp,'' is to turn recruits into soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.

This training is rooted in education, tradition and, yes, physical strength and stamina. All services have specific minimum requirements, but they represent only a tough starting point for recruits. Get into shape as many weeks before joining as possible. Research important things about your future profession. Learn about current events around the world, because they affect your potential assignment.

Talk to veterans. Read stories about missions involving all services. Consider what you want to be when you enlist. Call to make an appointment to meet face to face. Be persistent. Prepare questions ahead of time. Know what you need to bring and what you want to do in the military before visiting. Anticipate what you will need, such as a Social Security card, birth certificate, other IDs, and high school and college transcripts.

The military will screen you medically, but you may get a waiver if you have had any previous surgeries, broken bones or major illnesses. Cons Long hours, a lot of away from home. Storesperson wanted! Cleaners and Kitchen Helpers - Casual Inventory. Customer Services Representative Inventory.

Cleaner - Inventory. Ready to come onboard? I spend 6 years, made a lot of friends. Great place to learn many stuff. You can advance quickly if you puts in a lot of effort. The pay and benefits are great for what you do. But long hours and travel do make me miss my love ones. The management is slow to adapt because they have to be conservative, everything is about preserving the organization's security and safety.

Don't expect too much change because conservative approach is always the safest may not be the best. Pros Free dinner and breakfast if you work overtime overnight. Cons Long hours and Terrible medical system. Served 31 years, ups and downs like any job. Learn life and professional skills. I do recommend the forces for trade skills, you will travel and after 20 years, good pension. Pros Job security. Cons War zone deployment. Terrible Politics, Bad management however..

Technician Former Employee - Alberta - 4 September Theres not enough room here, Its good training, teaches you alot! Great benefits and does have room for advancement. If youre okay with poor leadership, and are just there to collect a paycheck then its the right job for you! Pros Salary, time off, benefits. Cons Postings, boys club, management, politics, illogical in many scenarios, policy. If you're looking at this then you're considering joining the CAF it literally changed my life I own anything that I want the pay is handsome because the lifestyle is hard it's not for everybody you might be gone for months at a time but you also get two months off a year it's very challenging but you'll have hundreds of best friends and pride in what you do.

Pros Respected uniform paid days off opportunity to change your life and have a career. Cons Away from home for months postings three years until pay gets good.

Definitely a waste of time, the work atmosphere is toxic, you will not get promoted unless you are in clicks. You will not be treated with respect no matter how much you do for others, or what you have been through.

Then the medical staff will conduct a physical exam to measure your height, weight, evaluate your vision, colour perception and hearing. The second step is a medical file review to determine any limitations that will affect your training and career.

The next step is an interview with a military career counsellor; it is your official job interview and a very important step. The application process is very competitive and you will be asked questions about your work history, knowledge of the Canadian Forces, and understanding of the job you selected.

Basic training will teach you the core skills and knowledge to succeed in a military environment. It may be the most demanding experience you have ever had and requires hard work and perseverance.

Courses emphasize basic military skills, weapons handling, first aid and ethical values. Since physical fitness is an important part of military service, a large part of the course is spent on fitness training. All part-time candidates joining their local Primary Reserve unit will undergo similar basic training objectives. Reserve units will conduct their Basic Training either at the local reserve unit location or at a Canadian Armed Forces training centre.

Locations vary depending on units. Talk to a Primary Reserve unit recruiter for more information on their Basic Training program. Your days start at 5 am. Each training day consists of physical training, marching, classes and practical sessions on a variety of military subjects. Field exercises focus on practical military skills such as weapons firing, map and compass use, and marches of various lengths in full combat gear. Confidence Course training involves physical tasks like scaling two- and four-metre walls, climbing a four-metre net, and crossing a four-metre ditch while hanging from a set of monkey bars.

The military swim standard is a key element of basic training. This test involves jumping into a pool wearing a life jacket and swimming 50 metres. You must also somersault into the water without a life jacket, tread water for two minutes and then swim 20 metres. Regular physical training sessions will prepare you for field exercises, kilometre marches in full combat gear, and meeting the CAF minimum physical fitness standard. During the first week of basic training, you will take the FORCE Evaluation fitness test to assess your level of physical fitness.

You must pass this test in order to continue with basic training. If you do not meet all four of the fitness test objectives but can meet one or more, you may be able to take additional training as part of the Program to Return to Training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School.

You will have a maximum of 90 days to meet all three of the test objectives. You may re-start the application process three to five years after your release date depending on the circumstances of your release by submitting a new application online. Visit our Help Centre if you have more questions. Take a look at these examples of the four components. An excellent way to determine your fitness level is to undergo a fitness appraisal. Talk to your doctor before starting a fitness routine or appraisal, particularly if you have a heart condition, feel chest pain, lose your balance or consciousness, have a bone or joint problem, or take drugs for a blood pressure or heart condition.

Tell your doctor about the kinds of activities you want to do and follow his or her advice. Your fitness program should start at a level that is right for you now. You can progress gradually as your strength and endurance improve. When starting a workout session, consider the frequency, intensity, time and type of activity and your goals. In other words, follow the FITT principle:. As a rule of thumb, ease into your activities, gradually increase each element of FITT, and end each session with a cool-down.