Canadian Armed Forces Education System – An Overview
Military Training Strategy
The military training strategy is to utilize a system of performance objectives and enabling objectives to ensure that the member has achieved the desired outcome. As quoted from A-PD-050-PLQ/PH-H18 Non-Commissioned Member – Primary Leadership Qualification Training Plan:
Performance Objectives (POs)
POs are formal statements, which specify what the graduate must be able to do in terms of operational performance. POs include the conditions which influence job performance and the standard to which members must perform on the job. POs are a key element in the Canadian Forces Individual Training and Education System (CFITES) and serve as a benchmark throughout the Quality Control System. POs also provide a basis for validation activities.
Enabling Objective (EO)
An EO is a principal unit of learning and constitutes a major step towards achieving the PO and which is coherent in terms of logic, learning or work and is of suitable scope and appropriate for testing for progress.
Every course that a member completes in the military will have a series of POs and EOs that must be completed to pass the course. A member can complete the requirements for an enabling objective by passing an exam, however they may fail the performance objective by not being able to carry out the tasks they have learned in the field or on a component.
Trades Training
The process for trades training in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is similar across all elements and careers, resembling the structure of an apprenticeship. In the initial years of military service, members focus on becoming qualified in their respective trades. Following this, they work towards obtaining further qualifications that prepare them for leadership roles. Much like an apprenticeship, this involves working through a logbook and meeting specific requirements before attending a college program and then returning to work. A technician’s progress is monitored by a standards supervisor, who reviews the logbook and grants approval for the technician to proceed to the next course once the required standards are met. Below are the typical first few years in the CAF for an aircraft technician.
| First year to second year | Swear into the military and receive orders to report for Basic Military Occupation Qualification training in Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu. | BMOQ is completed and member is posted to their first unit | While posted to first unit, member completes on-the-job training. | Member is attach posted to Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering for Common Core. |
| Second to third years | After common core completed member is returned to their unit and continue with OJT. OJT will be continued until member is loaded on a trades training course called qualification level 3 (QL3). Which will train them on the general topics of the trade. | Once the QL3 is completed the member returns to the unit and completes a logbook to ensure that they have been exposed to jobs on the aircraft and prepare them for the qualification level 5 (QL5) course or ‘type’ specific training. | After type course member works on development of aircraft skills and prepares for promotion to the next rank. |
Now that we have a basis for how trades training is carried out, we’ll start to look at how one progresses through the ranks.
Watch Careers in the Royal Canadian Air Force (3 mins) on YouTube
Video source: Canadian Armed Forces. (2015, July 16). Careers in the Royal Canadian Air Force [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3raXeXPsExg
Progression through the Ranks
When talking about Non-commissioned Members, a Private/Aviator/Ordinary Seaman is given their first promotion to Corporal/Able Seaman based on time in the CAF. After this promotion, the next rank is earned in the form of community involvement, post-secondary education, career courses, leadership potential, and suitability to perform the duties of the next rank. With all these factors taken into consideration, the annual review of every member at the rank is sent to promotion boards where it is ranked against all other Canadian Forces members of that trade and rank. Once ranking is determined, the boards sit down and take stock of the number of members retiring and being promoted to their next rank and that determines how many positions are available for promotion.
As in all companies a position is required for a member to be promoted into, if there is no position available at your current unit, a member will either get posted to a different unit on that base or posted to a new base entirely. For more information about postings review the previous module [INSERT LINK TO POSTINGS].
Reflections on Professional Development and Progression
Approximately twelve years into my career, during a professional development day, we attended a comprehensive presentation on advancing through the ranks within our trade. Our supervisor outlined the key expectations for those aspiring to move up the ranks and the emphasis was placed on community involvement and professional development, particularly through post-secondary education. These elements were highlighted as the most critical factors influencing our competitiveness in consideration by promotion boards. At the time us performing the rank above or being good at our job was not enough.
— Jason Kerr
Watch CAF Story | Mentoring through the ranks (4 mins) on YouTube
Video source: Canadian Armed Forces. (2024, January 26). CAF Story | Mentoring through the ranks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-EjS4imP9M
Annual performance reviews are not formed solely on job performance, but also take into account a member’s:
- score on the annual physical training test
- community involvement
- completed professional development within the CAF (occupational specialty qualifications, career courses, professional development)
- completed professional development through a post-secondary institution
- demonstrated ability to carry out the duties of the next rank
- demonstrated leadership and suitability to be promoted to the next rank.
In the CAF, members who are interested in moving through the ranks never slow down. They take on extra duties and responsibilities, pursue post-secondary education, and often volunteer for exercises, taskings, and operations, all while ensuring they are active in their community. Understanding the factors that contribute to a member’s promotion is crucial to recognizing the value of credit for prior learning and transfer experience. These elements are also essential for retiring veterans transitioning to post-secondary education for a second career. Ensuring these mechanisms are in place to support their continued professional growth and success.
Attribution
Except where otherwise noted, this page was created by Jason Kerr and is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
