Hello there, I have a lot of respect for you guys and well I recently applied to the Army co-op but unfortunately I did not get in. This is not a question thread more like a tool to help high school students with any questions about the Army co-op, because it took me weeks just the find the faintest smudge of information about this co-op. Well anyway like it or not here is the information. Oh yes one last small thing this co-op is only open to infantry only and possibly navy I say this with uncertainty.
Faqs about the co-op
-You get paid by the day not the hour(I heard its like 20$ a day or something I can't find any info about the wages of a co-op student in the army)
-This is for infantry so yes you may shoot a gun
-I know for my area GTA if I made it I would have to drive to Toronto every day to get their by 8 am or whatever due to that being the only training base around.
-This is 4 credits no exceptions. (One important snip of information you can only take this co-op second semester so if you get your co-op first semester like I did rush to your GC and change it asap)
-You have to be 16+ to attend this co-op
-This is basic training not advanced infantry training
-I heard that if you do well or average possibly they will offer you a guaranteed summer job (I have no information about this)
-You may go out of province for some days
-This is the one of the only paying co-ops out there
-This has got to be the best co-op out there, because its gives you a taste of the life in the military.
Lets start with this: You just found out that through whispers that there is such a thing as co-op that pays you and lets you be in the army too what joy!! Now where do you get started?? Well I found out about this through some channels I can't even remember, but as soon as I did I went straight to my Co-op teacher and told him. He then had a crazed look about them him and well I guess he wasn't to thrilled for a high school student to go to the army and possibly die (His thoughts not mine). Well anyway he agreed and then pulled out a booklet and called the nearest base (Brampton Amory for me) and set up a appointment for me to get some answers.
So in short as soon as you find out about this co-op proceed to your guidance counselor and or co-op teacher this is very important (As explained later)
So me and my buddy of mine went to base and the guy gave the bare bones of it all and told us about the application process, we were ecstatic about this because this confirmed what we heard rumors about and they were all true. He then directed us to the nearest recruitment center (Mississauga)
We went to the recruitment center and they handed us pages among pages of forms (This part we were not happy about, but it is understandable) So we went back to fill it out with the help of our parents and guidance counselor (You absolutely need the help of the guidance counselor for some the forms its a guaranteed) Once we were done this we came back to hand it all in. Before I go on I would like to add this
You 100% need to bring this stuff in with the completion of the forms
-Photo Id with your signature (Drivers license, passport) No health cards
-Birth certificate
-School transcript (Go to the main office in your school and ask for this)
- Every single form/box/line sign and or completed in some way shape of form I cannot stress this enough
The next step the tests (Scary huh)
We then schedule the C.F.A.T
Some tips about the C.F.A.T
-You see that sample test of the Canadian forces website? well its 5x harder then that
-Brush up on your math if you are bad at it, grade 9-10 math to be more specific
- This is all done on a computer just a fyi
- and stay calm and relaxed its just a test that you can only take twice and may or may not build the road to your future military career
Then they scheduled this fitness test next week.
Fitness test
Do you know how long it took to me to find the minimum reps you have to do to pass?
It goes like this
1.They measure your heart rate by walking up and down some small steps
If you fail do not worry (That means your your heart rate is to damn high)
2.Grip strength, Now I think this part may or may not matter but if you fail the heart rate you need to get 90+ score combined to move on.
3. Situps standard situps 19+
4.Push ups 19+
Now if you pass all of this you get to move on to the interview and standard check up by a doctor both are really standard so do not worry.
Oh yes if you require glasses in any way you must bring your prescription (What type of glasses you wear) paper with you.
And you are done congrats!
Wow a lot to take in now let me tell you my mistakes with this application process
1. No photo Id with your signature, I was lazy did not get my license till a day before I required the photo Id. This means get your license asap, and no my passport was also out of date and it would take a week to get it.
2.Well lets just me and my buddy's forms were in bad shape we had to spend 10 minutes in front of the guy fixing it, lets just say he wasn't to pleased.
3. I was not ready for the C.F.A.T and I was told I barely passed (Laugh all you want but for some one my age this stuff scares me with all the pressure)
4. I was late for everything no not the appointments, I was late to to start the applications process I started in September and ended in November because of my incompetence and procrastination, hell I didn't get those forms from the guidance counselor till a week later. But this is my fault , you are applying to the fricken army so get your shit in line and be smart about this stuff I just wish some one would have slapped me and said that stuff to me
On the side note here are some tips:
You can start this process as early as June or July in that case do it because here are some figures
1000's of students apply for this co-op and I heard they take in 200 or so kids, well let me correct that during my process they cut that by half so that leave 100 slots open.
Out of those 1000's of students maybe 75% will start the process ahead of you leaving you in the 25% where you start the process late. Now ever hear of the early bird caught the worm? Well it goes without saying those other birds caught every friggin worm leave you with a empty stomach. Worst part is they wont tell you this, they will just make you go through the pain staking process and it isn't their fault they don't know when the slots are filled they only find out at the end of the year.
This is like applying to a job wait it is applying to job they pay you so beef up your resume, do you do some form of martial arts? put it on! Did coach soccer or be the team captain for a sports team? put it on! Most importantly you need I am going to say this again you NEED at least 3 references for the paper work .
You have to be in shape for this process run jog lift weights, no matter what you do you have to be in shape for this whole co-op. This is not for the weak, they assume you are in peak physical shape already and need not get you there.
If you started the process early, you passed the C.F.A.T, passed the fitness and interview, then you should get call by December from the base you will train out of to pick up your uniform and to swear you in. Good luck.
Thanks good luck to all! If I am missing anything comments thanks!
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