# Infantry and post secondary



## taylorwagner221 (24 Dec 2012)

Hello,  I am going to apply for infantry when I turn 17 and go to post secondary in the meantime and leave the course if i am accepted into the Canadian forces. would the recruiters frown on me leaving post secondary for joining the military? I will graduate highschool in a few months and I still will be 16.  i have heard infantry is really compete so I decided it might help to get post secondary. but I have also heard when it comes to infantry post secondary does not matter is this true? If it is not true what post secondary course do you guys recommend? I would not want to spend a lot of cash and wouldn't want to stay long in post secondary as I just want to be in the military thanks.


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## brihard (24 Dec 2012)

Getting some sort of post secondary education (that isn't Police Foundations) is almost always a solid bet. If you don't get into the CF any time soon, or if you get in and find after 3 or 4 years that you can't stand it, it gives you a piece of paper to fall back on. It's a solid plan.

Recruiting for the infantry is slow these days. Lots of applicants, few positions. More education than high school will definitely help. The recruiters won't look down on you leaving school to accept an offer, because the offer will be made based on what you already have completed. 

Long term, education is constantly being pushed in the CF. Even if you do get in and stick it out long term (which is the minority in the infantry), having some college or university will look good for your career.


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## ballz (24 Dec 2012)

If you decide to go the university route, do something that interests you first and foremost, and find out what you like. You will want to start considering early on how "valuable" certain courses are in the real world (aka accounting/science/engineering courses vs anthropology/sociology/basket weaving courses) but dip your feet in the arts, as well, for sure.

I would recommend you consider looking at trades. Since you seem like you want to be "hands-on," and skilled trades are what the country is really short of, you may find that skilled trades are more for you. You will be able to make money while learning instead of spending money to learn, and will acquire hard, tangible skills as well as real work experience, that will always be useful to you in the CF or the private sector.

As for the recruiting aspect, see Brihard's post.

My :2c:, no refunds.


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## Timberwolf (24 Dec 2012)

Awfully biased against Police Foundations there Brihard. 

It just so happens that my post secondary education is a degree in Police Foundations, and I was recently accepted for RegF infantry. You are wasting your time taking any post secondary education that isn't something you would be interested in doing as a career. Police Foundations happens to be a great program and resource for people interested in becoming a police officer. 

It would be best to choose something that interests you for a post secondary education. You never know how long it could take to get into infantry. Don't wait around doing nothing with your time.


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## RCDtpr (24 Dec 2012)

While I have defended police foundations as I have a diploma (it's not a degree) in police foundations. I do agree with Brihard in a sense.  I do personally believe that it's useful in that any post secondary is better than none.

That said....if you are joining the CF you won't need a police foundations diploma.  Get yourself a diploma or degree in something that will help you down the road.  As infantry you are a blown knee, or serious injury away from not being in the CF anymore and not being able to be hired as a police officer......then what?


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## taylorwagner221 (24 Dec 2012)

So you think getting a apprenticeship in carpentry would look just as good as  a degree from a college for a infantry application? Would a 10 month EMT certificate look just as good as a post secondary degree from a college? By the way the EMT course is run at a college


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## brihard (24 Dec 2012)

Timberwolf said:
			
		

> Awfully biased against Police Foundations there Brihard.
> 
> It just so happens that my post secondary education is a degree in Police Foundations, and I was recently accepted for RegF infantry. You are wasting your time taking any post secondary education that isn't something you would be interested in doing as a career. Police Foundations happens to be a great program and resource for people interested in becoming a police officer.
> 
> It would be best to choose something that interests you for a post secondary education. You never know how long it could take to get into infantry. Don't wait around doing nothing with your time.



Yup, the 21 year olds who've been unable to get hired by a police force and so end up going reg force always seem to be the quickest to defend their police foundations diploma as relevant. It's the serving police officers who most typically tend to disagree with the program being of any use.

Absolutely classic though. Thanks for the chuckle.



			
				taylorwagner221 said:
			
		

> So you think getting a apprenticeship in carpentry would look just as good as  a degree from a college for a infantry application? Would a 10 month EMT certificate look just as good as a post secondary degree from a college? By the way the EMT course is run at a college



The point is to show that you didn't graduate high school and sit there picking lint out of your arse waiting for a call from CFRC, and to demonstrate that you're teachable. The secondary consideration here is to give you viable career options should you not be found competitive enough for the trade in the next few years, or should you fail or injure yourself off of training and end up releasing. And don't give yourself the self-delusional 'it can't happen to me' B.S. Give it everything, but have at least one backup plan.


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## RCDtpr (24 Dec 2012)

A post secondary degree or diploma in basket weaving would be looked upon favourably.

Take a course that will open doors for you in th future because the reality is this: most people that join the combat arms do not remain in for their entire career.  Odds are you will either be hurt and forced out or will just get fed up of the nonsense and move on.  Keep doors open for yourself should you leave the CF.


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## dangerboy (24 Dec 2012)

As people have said go for something that interests you.  Don't go for something that you have no interest in because you think that is what the CF would be interested in.  As people have said, you might never get in, you might get injured or fail off a DP1 Infantry course or after your initial contract decide you no longer want to be in the military and release.  Then you will be counting on that schooling.


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## brihard (24 Dec 2012)

dangerboy said:
			
		

> As people have said go for something that interests you.  Don't go for something that you have no interest in because you think that is what the CF would be interested in.  As people have said, you might never get in, you might get injured or fail off a DP1 Infantry course or after your initial contract decide you no longer want to be in the military and release.  Then you will be counting on that schooling.



Heh... He'll be in the Patricias for all of six months before he realizes what he could be making in the patch anyway. If a trade school doesn't look good now, it will after the first Maple Defender.


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## taylorwagner221 (24 Dec 2012)

Thanks guys for all the advice and it isn't about the money ha ha. Merry Christmas


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## ballz (24 Dec 2012)

RCDcpl said:
			
		

> A post secondary degree or diploma in basket weaving would be looked upon favourably.



Really? A degree in folklore would be looked upon more favourably than a journeyman electrician? I sure hope not. Have you worked in recruiting or anything? Can't say I have but I'd be interested in hearing from someone who has and was directly involved in this kind of stuff.

I'd still recommend going with a good trade over a Bachelor's degree of almost any field, and carpentry is a damn good trade.


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## RCDtpr (25 Dec 2012)

ballz said:
			
		

> Really? A degree in folklore would be looked upon more favourably than a journeyman electrician? I sure hope not. Have you worked in recruiting or anything? Can't say I have but I'd be interested in hearing from someone who has and was directly involved in this kind of stuff.
> 
> I'd still recommend going with a good trade over a Bachelor's degree of almost any field, and carpentry is a damn good trade.



Where did you see me say that?  He asked what would give his application a leg up....any post secondary is better than no post secondary.  How about you don't put words in my mouth? Thanks and merry xmas


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## RCDtpr (25 Dec 2012)

Edited for double post


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## Jarnhamar (25 Dec 2012)

Timberwolf said:
			
		

> Police Foundations happens to be a great program and resource for people interested in becoming a police officer.


Cops and police forces apparently disagree.




			
				taylorwagner221 said:
			
		

> Hello,  I am going to apply for infantry when I turn 17 and go to post secondary in the meantime and leave the course if i am accepted into the Canadian forces. would the recruiters frown on me leaving post secondary for joining the military? I will graduate highschool in a few months and I still will be 16.  i have heard infantry is really compete so I decided it might help to get post secondary. but I have also heard when it comes to infantry post secondary does not matter is this true? If it is not true what post secondary course do you guys recommend? I would not want to spend a lot of cash and wouldn't want to stay long in post secondary as I just want to be in the military thanks.



Taylor. There's some young infantry soldiers that only have grade 10 highschool. They do alright in the battalions but they don't stand out. 

You're going to be competing for cool courses against some really smart dudes.Everyone is hot and horny to get into the CF as soon as they can but the over all response from soldiers is going to be for you to finish school and if you're doing post secondary to take the bit of extra time and finish it.

The more you can bring to an infantry section or platoon in terms of shit you learn at college/university the more employable you will be and the more you'll be able to help out your team.


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## taylorwagner221 (25 Dec 2012)

Thanks for the advice so I take it doesn't matter what you take so just take a course that would be your back up plan if the military doesn't work or If you decide to leave.


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## Jarnhamar (25 Dec 2012)

taylorwagner221 said:
			
		

> Thanks for the advice so I take it doesn't matter what you take so just take a course that would be your back up plan if the military doesn't work or If you decide to leave.



Taking ANY course is better than taking no course.

your backup plan is going to be only as good as the course you take.  Police foundations won't get you very far. Carpentry will.


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## dimsum (25 Dec 2012)

taylorwagner221 said:
			
		

> Thanks for the advice so I take it doesn't matter what you take so just take a course that would be your back up plan if the military doesn't work or If you decide to leave.



Or, if you decide to want to transfer into a trade later on that has more stringent academic requirements.


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## Timberwolf (25 Dec 2012)

Brihard said:
			
		

> Yup, the 21 year olds who've been unable to get hired by a police force and so end up going reg force always seem to be the quickest to defend their police foundations diploma as relevant. It's the serving police officers who most typically tend to disagree with the program being of any use.
> 
> Absolutely classic though. Thanks for the chuckle.



Pretending like you know one damn thing about me.

Thanks for the chuckle.


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## brihard (25 Dec 2012)

Timberwolf said:
			
		

> Pretending like you know one damn thing about me.
> 
> Thanks for the chuckle.



You're free to correct me at any point when I'm wrong, should I happen to be. I'm not calling you or anything; just pointing out a story I've seen play out time and time again due to the over saturation of guys in their early 20s who find that particular program not living up to its implied promises. All in all, police foundations has actually been a pretty decent source of some quality recruits for the CF- fit, driven young people who simply lack the life experience (or some other subjective factors) for any police forces to give them much time of day. I'd take the CF over a crappy security job any day- don't think I'm faulting you for making the best of it. But if life in the CF loses some of its appeal a few years down the road, your options are necessarily pretty limited if you chose that educational path and you still get no joy from police forces.


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## ballz (25 Dec 2012)

RCDcpl said:
			
		

> How about you don't put words in my mouth? Thanks and merry xmas



In the context of the conversation I thought you meant "favourable" compared to a trade, but that's why I left my questions for you open-ended. If not, my apologies and a Merry Christmas to you.


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