Doing whatever I need to do

[commadorefour]

Almost seems a job in its self just getting into the canadian forces, let me give you a basic profile of my self before i explain further

Im 21 years old and live in ontario, I have 15 high school credits and i am writing my GED tomorow, I do have a youth criminal record.

I am applying for Infantry, Combat Engineer, and Artillery soldier.

For the combat engineer it was recommended that i take a physics and math course at a nearby adult learning centre to better my chances of being accepted. I've been told by recruiters that the infantry is very competitive and they get flooded with applications for infantry so i decided to work towards the engineer as my first choice ( i would assume thats probably everyones second choice as well).

Regarding my youth record, which is quite lengthy, For the past 4 years i have been working very hard and staying out of trouble. I feel that it was a phase of disrespect towards people just trying to help me and myself just being an idoit.

Im prepard to take whatever courses i need to and do whatever needs to be done to get accepted as i have done much research on what the army is like and it sounds like the greatest job to me.

Another thing im unsure of is wether being autistic would prevent me from joining, its not severe but just somthing i live with.

If you have any tips that would be great, thanks for reading.

 

[mld]

You really need to be asking the recruiter questions regarding your criminal record and your autism. Here are my thoughts for what they are worth.

The CF has an over abundance of applications and competition for the very few positions is very fierce. Most applicants have their high school diploma, and often some college or university. Most applicants do not have any criminal record or any medical disorder that could impede their ability to function in stressful situations. People get turned down for much less than autism. I highly doubt that you will meet the common medical enrollment standard with your current diagnosis. Unfortunately for you, the CF is very likely to hire applicants with higher education and a cleaner past and bill of health than you.

Remember, this is just my 2 cents and you will never know until you talk to a recruiter. Cudos for trying to better yourself through education and hardwork. Even in the CF doesn't work out for you, you can be proud of the progress you have made so far.

 

[greenmachine]

Regarding the education thing, maybe after getting your GED you should look at some construction related college programs? You can do a certificate program (1 year) and it'll give you a lot of useful physics and math skills that you would use as an Engineer. Ontario has a lot of good colleges with good trade programs.

 

[Gunshark]

Speak seriously with the Recruiter. Show that you are determined and motivated. Ask about your chances in the trades of your choice. Ask about other trades that may improve your chances. Ask what you need to do to improve your application, e.g. more education, better grades, volunteering, sports teams, leadership experience. Ask about your medical history - this is very important, because even if your application is otherwise top notch (over time), your medical part may prevent you from joining. In sum, talk to the Recruiter, show initiative, and ask a ton of questions about everything. Then go from there. Good luck, and good on you for taking steps towards improvement. Cheers.