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mendozajoshua92 asks questions about becoming an Engineer

mendozajoshua92.

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I'm planning on getting a bachelors and masters  degree in Civil Engineering. I really want to be a combat engineer right after school because I want to be able to get some action and attend different training opportunities. Is there a way I can be a Combat Engineer and switch to an Engineering Officer after my contract or should I just go in as a Engineering Officer? I'm just worried about the opportunities I'll miss if I become an Engineering Officer.

Thanks in advance.
 
I suggest you do more reading on the Recruiting website in regards to what positions people with your types of degrees (still to be achieved I take from your post) can do.  There are occupations that are some sort of engineer in the Army, Air Force, and Navy. 

I don't know if you know the difference, but a Combat Engineer is a non-commissioned member, whereas the Engineer Officer is a commissioned officer who leads Combat Engineers.  I always thought that the Engineer Officers were also called Combat Engineers, but I learned something today (even after 16 plus years in, who would have thought? lol ).  Maybe some Engineer Officers or Combat Engineers can pipe in to give you more details. 

http://www.forces.ca/en/jobexplorer/browsejobs-70

"Get some action?"  If you mean deployments, then yes, a Combat Engineer (as do all the other engineering occupations) does have these opportunities, but I sincerely hope that you do NOT want to join the military just to "kill or shoot people".  If so, then DO NOT apply to the military.  The military is not a video game.

Training opportunities abound for all engineering occupations.  Again, do some research on the Recruiting website.

"Switching" as you put it is called Occupational Transfer, either Voluntary (VOT) or Compulsory (COT).  If it is your choice, then it is VOT.  These are not as easy as you think or as easy as the Recruiting Centre will make it out to be.  My strong advice is to do a lot more research and determine exactly what you want to do if you join the military.  It is MUCH easier to enter into the CF in exactly what you want to do right at the beginning vice doing a VOT or COT.

If you haven't done your undergrad (Bachelor's yet), you might reconsider doing the Master's degree right away after 4 years of "fun" to get your undergrad.  If not, all the power to you.  As well, if you really want to join the military AFTER university, why don't you do your education in the military and not personally pay a dime towards it, i.e. RMC offers Civil Engineering?  Again, do some research on the Recruiting website or visit one.  They'll give you all the info you need, with up to date regulations/procedures.

As for the Master's, that is a different story for another day (you have to apply for it once in the military in order to get the mil to pay for it).
 
mendozajoshua92. said:
Is there a way I can be a Combat Engineer and switch to an Engineering Officer after my contract or should I just go in as a Engineering Officer?

Have you read any NCM to Officer discussions?
https://www.google.ca/search?q=site%3Aarmy.ca+ncm+officer&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-CA:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7GGHP_en-GBCA592&gfe_rd=cr&ei=ofDvVsT8EquC8Qeo_OLoDg&gws_rd=ssl#q=site:army.ca+%22ncm+to+officer%22

See also,

Combat Engineers vs engineering officers 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/108434.25
2 pages.

Edit to add,

( From 2006 )

Obtaining P.Eng as Combat Engineer 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/39040.0

 
Scoobs said:
I suggest you do more reading on the Recruiting website in regards to what positions people with your types of degrees (still to be achieved I take from your post) can do.  There are occupations that are some sort of engineer in the Army, Air Force, and Navy. 

I don't know if you know the difference, but a Combat Engineer is a non-commissioned member, whereas the Engineer Officer is a commissioned officer who leads Combat Engineers.  I always thought that the Engineer Officers were also called Combat Engineers, but I learned something today (even after 16 plus years in, who would have thought? lol ).  Maybe some Engineer Officers or Combat Engineers can pipe in to give you more details. 

http://www.forces.ca/en/jobexplorer/browsejobs-70

"Get some action?"  If you mean deployments, then yes, a Combat Engineer (as do all the other engineering occupations) does have these opportunities, but I sincerely hope that you do NOT want to join the military just to "kill or shoot people".  If so, then DO NOT apply to the military.  The military is not a video game.

Training opportunities abound for all engineering occupations.  Again, do some research on the Recruiting website.

"Switching" as you put it is called Occupational Transfer, either Voluntary (VOT) or Compulsory (COT).  If it is your choice, then it is VOT.  These are not as easy as you think or as easy as the Recruiting Centre will make it out to be.  My strong advice is to do a lot more research and determine exactly what you want to do if you join the military.  It is MUCH easier to enter into the CF in exactly what you want to do right at the beginning vice doing a VOT or COT.

If you haven't done your undergrad (Bachelor's yet), you might reconsider doing the Master's degree right away after 4 years of "fun" to get your undergrad.  If not, all the power to you.  As well, if you really want to join the military AFTER university, why don't you do your education in the military and not personally pay a dime towards it, i.e. RMC offers Civil Engineering?  Again, do some research on the Recruiting website or visit one.  They'll give you all the info you need, with up to date regulations/procedures.

As for the Master's, that is a different story for another day (you have to apply for it once in the military in order to get the mil to pay for it).
Thank you very much this really helped. So what you're saying is I can join the military and get my masters degree? That's my other option to get an undergrad degree first and then join as a civil engineer. After that I was planning to get my bachelors while I'm a civil engineer. Is that possible?
 
mendozajoshua92. said:
Thank you very much this really helped. So what you're saying is I can join the military and get my masters degree? That's my other option to get an undergrad degree first and then join as a civil engineer. After that I was planning to get my bachelors while I'm a civil engineer. Is that possible?
Undergrad is a bachelor's degree.  Did you mistype your question?
 
Sorry I meant that I'm planning to get my masters degree during my career as an engineering officer. Is that possible?
 
mendozajoshua92. said:
Sorry I meant that I'm planning to get my masters degree during my career as an engineering officer. Is that possible?
It is possible, but getting selected is fairly competitive.  You might not get what you want.
 
mendozajoshua92. said:
I'm planning to get my masters degree during my career as an engineering officer. Is that possible?

Applying for a Master's Degree 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/102614.0

As always, Recruiting is your most trusted source of information.

 
As you've now seen, mendozajoshua92, from the links that mariomike generously provided, there is a ton of information already available on this Most Fine Site. Take some time to explore and read. You'll likely find answers to questions that have not even occurred to you yet.
 
I've researched some things on the CF website. I  was just wondering what do you guys think the best job is for becoming a civil engineer in the civilian world, a construction engineer or engineering officer? I really want to be an engineering officer but do you think that's a weak choice for becoming a civil engineer in the future?
 
mendozajoshua92. said:
I've researched some things on the CF website. I  was just wondering what do you guys think the best job is for becoming a civil engineer in the civilian world, a construction engineer or engineering officer? I really want to be an engineering officer but do you think that's a weak choice for becoming a civil engineer in the future?
I have known people from both occupations to do it. 
 
I have a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering and work as a mechanical engineer on the civvy side. After all my research, I chose to join as a Combat Engineer (NCM) in the Reserves. I could have joined as an Officer too but the NCM side was more in line with what I wanted to achieve and how I thought I could contribute best. The way I see it, it's all about what you want to do and where you see yourself being most successful. Because if you hate your job in the military, you may tend to do a poor job, and that will be a let down not only for yourself but for many others, especially if you're in the position of leadership. I would strongly recommend reading discussions comparing NCM vs Officer for occupations you're interested in. If I was to guess, if you'd like your civilian and military engineering careers to supplement each other, I would say construction engineer makes more sense as it likely focuses more on construction related tasks, which is more in line with civil engineering - but do your own research about it as I am not too familiar with the occupation. Combat engineers also have some constructions tasks but their focus is more on a variety of tasks that support the infantry - demolitions, obstacle clearance, bridge building, etc. Again, read up on it to familiarize yourself. Good luck.
 
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