ACSO to PLT??

[Doneric]

Hi everyone,

I have a confusing situation and have had no luck in getting a clear explanation of this.

I officially enrolled on August 31st 2022, as an ACSO under the ROTP program. However, because of recruiting slowness and forgetfulness on their part, I couldn't go to RMC but was approved to go to a civilian Uni to study aviation (piloting and getting my pilot's license) as that is what I wanted to do. To my understanding, from what I have been told, very few have gotten accepted to a program like mine, and all but one (me) that were approved for this program were selected as PLTs in the RCAF. It's as if it's reserved for RCAF PLTs only. I achieved a high enough CFAT and CFAST score for the PLT trade but wasn't selected for it (without a given reason as to why). My ULO and others have no clue how they approved this course for me to study since I wasn't selected for PLT. Now, the part that I am wondering is if there is a possibility that once I graduate from my program and get my degree, I could somehow get into the PLT trade even if I wasn't already selected for it, or if I could somehow apply and maybe get selected for it later on.

As a side note, they approved the program right after I completed my CFAST as if they expected me to be chosen for PLT. Just my own thought tho.

Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated since becoming an RCAF PLT would be a dream. ACSO works fine too, but I feel it would be better in general and in case I get out after my time served for job opportunities.

Thanks

 

[Zoomie]

Have your ULO book you an appointment with a PSO to discuss your options.

 

[dimsum]

Obviously the official word is what @Zoomie said, but I'll add that there have been ACSOs who have done ROTP through a civ university program that was geared towards flight training. It's not common, and that's probably why the ULO and others aren't aware of it.

The PLT and ACSO trades don't specify what degree you need, so the degree program is fine.

 

[Winds]

Your degree will not have any direct bearing on whether or not you will be approved to transfer to Pilot later on. Just as DEO Pilot applicants are not necessarily more competitive for selection if they hold a commercial pilot's license. The following programs are acceptable for ROTP as an ACSO: Engineering (BEng), Applied Science (BASc), Science domain, or Arts domain. Unlike Pilot, the Entry Standards do not specify "aviation" as an approved program... it could always be requested that you change programs but more likely you will just be allowed to continue with a Bachelors in Aviation. One could argue that it is at least as relevant as a degree in English or History (Arts Domain).

The reason you were not chosen for Pilot could simply be that you were chosen for ACSO first. Selections are done one trade at a time and once you are selected for one trade you are moved from the 'Competition List' to 'Selected' and no longer considered for further selections unless you later decline your offer and move back to the 'Competition List' for potential future selection. If you were expecting that the CAF recruiting system gave weight to the reference order of the trades you applied to, that was a false expectation.

However, since you "couldn't go to RMC", that likely means you didn't meet RMC's course or grade requirements (this is what is meant when the RMC admission department deems an applicant "suitable for Civilian University only"), and thus may not have been competitive enough for Pilot, as grades are a significant factor for ROTP selections.

Now that you are enrolled as an ACSO, switching trades is not necessarily easy. On the plus side, you could be a trained ACSO while your ROTP-Pilot peers are still waiting for Phase training.