# Signal Operator DP1/training flexibility



## opdsigop (22 Jul 2022)

Hello everyone, thank you for such a fantastic forum with so much helpful information. I've spent a great deal of time trying to answer some of my questions by reading existing threads, but feel there are a few gaps, so please forgive me for the elements of this that do overlap. New recruit for Reserve Signal Operator here, and hoping that I can get some fellow signallers or reservists to help me clarify a few things with regard to basic training.

During my recruitment process, I only had a few opportunities to ask questions, and they were right at the end of the recruiting process I think due to the re-arrangement of recruiting steps during COVID-19. As soon as I had an opportunity to ask questions in an interview, I attempted to get a clear picture on training requirements so I could make sure that it's possible to integrate the reserves into my life. I am 32 years old, have a full-time job in IT that I love, and feel incredibly lucky to have, so I am not willing to jeopardize my continued progression there. I also hold a relatively critical role in a small organization where it isn't as easy to offload work temporarily to others. I understand from much of what I have read that there is legislation and policies protecting my job, but I'm honestly not in a position where I want this to become adversarial with my employer / tell them they have to let me.

At the same time, I love everything I've read about the opportunity in the reserves - getting out from behind a desk and training in the outdoors, becoming more disciplined, and training to be even remotely useful if our country faces an emergency or existential threat. Silver linings would be the potential that trade-specific training adds to my IT skillset over time, and the pay is probably lowest on the list of priorities, but a nice bonus.

Anyways, during recruitment I spoke to a general recruiter for the brigade, and the signals recruiter. At this stage, prior to swearing in, I was told a few things: that despite the first two steps being possible over weekends, there IS required summer training. That being said, they ALSO told me that the signal trades had recently started a pilot/trial to do trade-specific training in more modular format with opportunities to do components of it remotely or online. I was hesitant, getting the impression that this more flexible DP1 format wasn't guaranteed, and that I could be wasting Army resources by committing to something I wasn't likely to be able to do (large periods of time in the summers off work and away from home). But... I was assured at the time that there is a lot of flexibility, and they will do what they can to make it work if I am willing to do what I can (I don't know how far that extends).

Fast forward I have now enlisted, and receive a welcome note from my training section commander. He confirmed the ability to do BMQ and SQ(?) on weekends throughout the fall/winter/spring (great), but that he had never heard of anything other than two successive summers with two months each being full time and in person at either Kingston or Borden. So, now I'm quite worried and confused as I feel like I've heard conflicting information. So I have a few questions:

Is anyone able to give me an idea of realistically how much flexibility can be offered? For instance, how modular are the SigOp trade DP1 training? Is a module the size of 2 months, or can it be done in smaller bite-size pieces. 2 Months will be hard or impossible to get off work. 3 weeks is almost guaranteed, 1 month would be a big ask, but perhaps possible. Yes I understand this could end up taking a much longer amount of time to become DP1-trained, but I'm in the mindset of making this part of my life and would be in it for the long haul. I am committed to it, and I want to provide value to the CAF even if it takes me longer to complete training.
Does anyone know anything about these highly modular/online/remote training components of trade-specific training that my signals recruiter mentioned to me?
I'm also just interested in general advice others might have to offer based on the situation I feel I'm in. I don't want to be a problem child for my regiment. I'm here because I want to be trained and ready for my country in the time that I do have available.
Should I do the weekend BMQ/SQ and see what training options are open to me at that point, or should I express upfront to my section commander these points that I've articulated above right away, and be prepared to bow out just as I'm getting started?
Is two months on two summers the extent of base-level required trade training for SigOp? I thought I read somewhere (but can't find now) that there was significantly more basic training required / up to 12 months full time? I might just be getting my wires crossed on this one...
Thank you very much in advance to anyone that has any words of wisdom for me.


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## Brasidas (3 Aug 2022)

opdsigop said:


> Hello everyone, thank you for such a fantastic forum with so much helpful information. I've spent a great deal of time trying to answer some of my questions by reading existing threads, but feel there are a few gaps, so please forgive me for the elements of this that do overlap. New recruit for Reserve Signal Operator here, and hoping that I can get some fellow signallers or reservists to help me clarify a few things with regard to basic training.
> 
> During my recruitment process, I only had a few opportunities to ask questions, and they were right at the end of the recruiting process I think due to the re-arrangement of recruiting steps during COVID-19. As soon as I had an opportunity to ask questions in an interview, I attempted to get a clear picture on training requirements so I could make sure that it's possible to integrate the reserves into my life. I am 32 years old, have a full-time job in IT that I love, and feel incredibly lucky to have, so I am not willing to jeopardize my continued progression there. I also hold a relatively critical role in a small organization where it isn't as easy to offload work temporarily to others. I understand from much of what I have read that there is legislation and policies protecting my job, but I'm honestly not in a position where I want this to become adversarial with my employer / tell them they have to let me.
> 
> ...


There are almost zero reserve trades that you are going to be able to break down occupation training into chunks of three weeks or less.

Full stop, you need to have a serious conversation with your chain of command to avoid wasting your time and theirs.

When I was running this training, it was about two months continuous for reserves and 100 training days (about four months) for the regforce split in 3 mods (more than a month, minimum). Talking to my successors in the past year, there were no plans to move to anything shorter or more modularized.

Depending on where you live, there _might_ be opportunities to do a local DP1 for some trades, with no guarantees but the possibility of some non-military time on weekends. Edmonton would be an example, where there have been local reserve Sig Op DP1s run. I know Vancouver ran a DP1 Supply Tech course in 2021.

If you have an idea of when you might be more flexible (eg. You are pretty confident that you could take two months off in summer 2024), bring that to the conversation.

If you are adamant about not taking more than three weeks off for the foreseeable future, just get out.

As for further training, it's more manageable. Your second trade qualification was, at least until recently, an online course followed by OJT and a field evaluation.

If you get DP1 done, you are employable. I had a friend only get his QL5/DP2 done more than fifteen years into his career, long after he had gone on tour and had been given mentorship roles.

Leadership courses are more modularized. Last I checked, it was an online course, followed by a two week and a three week module.


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## opdsigop (3 Aug 2022)

Brasidas said:


> There are almost zero reserve trades that you are going to be able to break down occupation training into chunks of three weeks or less.
> 
> Full stop, you need to have a serious conversation with your chain of command to avoid wasting your time and theirs.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much @Brasidas, this level of insight is extraordinarily helpful in thinking about how I can bring this to my employer and to my chain of command. Your suggestion of bringing an alternate 2-month slot to the table is appreciated; I have some family factors that make the possibility of two months in summer 2023 more difficult to contemplate than 2024. I also think it would be a much easier sell to my employer to plan 2 summers out in terms of building the kind of redundancy that this would necessitate without impacting operations too much.

Some insight into the nature of post-DP1 training is also very helpful - if it was nothing but summers off for the rest of my reserves life, I'd agree, time to get out, but knowing what's on the other side really helps make this commitment seem far more doable in terms of integrating into my life supposing I can figure out DP1.

All that to say, thanks very much. I'm looking forward to getting it sorted out and getting through it!


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