Reserve MSMT applicant: trade course length/format with a full-time civilian job, and officer vs NCM

[stig_gan]

Hi all,


I’m going through the application process for the Naval Reserve as a Marine Systems Mechanical Technician (MSMT). I work full-time in a civilian job, so I’m trying to plan the training timeline realistically before I enrol.


I’ve read the forces.ca MSMT page. The Reserve section says the occupation qualification is around 9 weeks at NFS(A) or NFS(P), after BMQ (Naval) at NFS(Q). A recruiter mentioned it could be closer to 3 months and full-time. I’ve also seen older posts here quoting 5 weeks of NETP plus 5 weeks of trade course. A few questions for anyone who’s been through it recently or works in training at an NRD:

1. What’s the current length of the Reserve MSMT occupation course? Is it ever run in a modular or distributed format, or is it always a full-time block (usually summer)?
2. Is it common to do BMQ (Naval) one summer and the trade course the following summer, or are they usually scheduled back-to-back?
3. For reservists with full-time civilian jobs: how did you arrange leave for these courses? Did you use CFLC, or just work it out with your employer?
4. I have a graduate degree. For someone in my situation, is it worth considering Naval Reserve officer occupations instead? How does the officer training time commitment compare?
5. If I enrol as MSMT, how difficult is it to change occupations later, compared to switching before enrolment?

Any current info is appreciated. I know a lot of the older threads may be out of date. Thanks!