ROTP 2011-2012

[nairna]

Its almost September everyone! That means ROTP will be opening up soon! Anyone want to share anything they did over the summer to prepare for the application process? What trades they will be applying too? Anything you want to share!

Looking forward to hearing from everyone

 

[Shock]

Nairna, since my last post on this thread I've done a couple of additional things. I applied to coach a minor hockey team, started playing piano again (not for my application but I think it will be a good thing to add nonetheless) and began training at home. I will be applying for armoured as my first choice and artillery as my second! How about yourself?

 

[Joani]

Hey, Nairna!

I've been doing pretty well. Over the summer, I've taken a couple  more courses (criminal psychology is fascinating!), been busy with work (acting position), and I got my eyes lasered. I'm going to volunteer at school next year, taking notes for less-abled people.

As for what I'm applying for, I've been tossing that about. I want to use my degree in criminology, so the clearest choice is Military Police. I'm also interested in the Health Care Administrator program and Intelligence officer.

 

[nairna]

Good to hear you have been active this summer Joani and Shock! I myself have been accumulating volunteer hours, training (running, weights ext.) Reading as much as I can to understand the position, Canada and her military, and Canada in the world stage. This fall I will continue volunteering, getting my standard first aid (need to be re-certified, mine expired) and volunteering at the St. John Ambulance as a Youth Leader. I've also been practicing for the eCFAT as I am not overly confident in my math skills.

The positions I am applying for are Infantry, Armoured, Artillery.

Lets keep updating and hearing from more people

 

[Thousand]

    Hey all! Long time lurker, first time poster.

    I applied for the ROTP around February and missed the deadline by a few days. So I've got myself a job at the Public Works here. I'm taking some courses from Athabasca University online until I leave. I just put my application in again for the 2011-2012 class (I'm not going to apply late this time! ;D ).

      I'm 16, 17 in September, and graduated with honours this year. I hope to join the volunteer Fire Department here, and I'm already volunteering at the local food bank. I'm going to apply for Civil Engineering and hope to be an Engineering Officer/Infantry Officer/Armour Officer.

      Nice to meet ya!


PS: No, spellcheck, I did not spell honours or armour wrong.  ;D

Edited to fix "armoured" to "armour"

 

[PrairieBoy]

Hello all

I'm going back to the CFRC on September 1st to start the ROTP application process for a second time. However, I think I have a much stronger application this time, since I've completed another Air Cadet course, the difficult 6 week long Survival Instructor course, I've graduated high school with generally good marks (a few exceptions, like a failed math class, but I don't think that will hurt my chances so bad since my other marks are pretty good), and I got my Standard First Aid qualification. I also asked the CFRC to save my file from my last application, and if they have done that, then this time the process should take a far shorter time! I'll probably have to fill out some of the forms again, maybe update my medical, and sit the interviews again, but if they saved my CFAT results, I should be sitting pretty. My choices this time are:

Infantry Officer (I know it's closed, but if a position opens up, I want my name on the list)
Armour Officer (Same as with Infantry)
Signals Officer (In case the above two don't work out)

 

[nairna]

I'm pretty sure that ROTP trades don't close. So you should be fine in terms of your choices

 

[George Wallace]

I'm pretty sure that ROTP trades don't close. So you should be fine in terms of your choices

There is NO such thing as "ROTP trades".  Yes, officer Occupations do CLOSE.  This does not stop a person from applying for ROTP, but it does affect the selection of "Occupations" that they may have.

 

[nairna]

Oh, I do recall a recruiter telling me that they don't close due to the fact that they are "future positions" so everyone has an equal chance of acceptance into it? Also I received the list of "open trades" as of July 21st and all "ROTP trades" are open.

 

[Rogo]

Oh, I do recall a recruiter telling me that they don't close due to the fact that they are "future positions" so everyone has an equal chance of acceptance into it? Also I received the list of "open trades" as of July 21st and all "ROTP trades" are open.

As far as I know the positions open vary year to year because of demand.  Which I feel would mean that they indeed can close.

the difficult 6 week long Survival Instructor course

I would (if I were you) just add that you have continued in cadets and have completed a senior course.  I would omit words like hard or anything that makes it seem difficult in comparison to other courses.  Not just because other courses are difficult in different ways but also... I taught that course for 2 years back in the day and would not put it and hard in the same sentence.  But just my opinion. 

Still  Good luck

 

[PrairieBoy]

Rogo: Well, of course, Survival Instructor is nothing compared to what I will face in training for the Reg Force. However, as Air Cadet summer courses go, it is on the more difficult side of them, and I'm rather proud to have finished it. 5 days in the wilderness by myself with few supplies is no mean feat, afterall. However, I know what you're saying, and I'll phrase it as you said, and only mention which course if the recruiter asks me.

Nairna: I hope that's true. If not, I still have my options. And if none of this works out, I'll go to a civvie university the normal way, and then go DEO when I finish my degree, haha.

 

[nairna]

PrarieBoy: that's the attitude!

On a side note, does anyone know what day officially ROTP applications open? Is it September 1st? I never received a straight answer when I spoke with the recruiter, it was just a "early September"

 

[Rogo]

Well they don't close until early/mid January so any time in the fall should be fine but I know this past year I started mine around late september and had oogles of time left. 

And Prairie Boy... 5 day SMR (2.5 trio, 2.5 solo).    I taught it, I would know  :camo:

 

[PrairieBoy]

Does anyone else hear feel a nagging little bit of uncertainty in the back of their minds about this? A little bit of unconfidence, somewhere deep inside you, praying on that fear that you won't be good enough for the Forces? I mean, I passed the CFAT last time I went through this process, and I was told that I passed the qualification level required for officer applicants, so I know I have it in me to do this, but I still feel a bit unconfident about it, and I don't know why. Does anyone know how to deal with that little voice in your head that tells you that you're not good enough? I've had it with me all my life...

 

[Thousand]

Heck yes. It's been eating away at me for the last week. Then I start to wonder what I'll do if I don't get in. Ugh.
I hate this feeling. When they told me last year that I didn't make it, that feeling of getting punched in the gut was worse. Meanwhile, I suppose I'll just keep on running and doing weights. (I'm still not getting any bigger muscles. Damn Asian and Native genes are working against me)

On a side note, I wonder if they're going to even look at my application. It seems that I may have applied too early after reading the previous posts.

 

[Rogo]

Give them a call and ask, the recruiters will know if its too early. 

 

[Dou You]

On a side note, I wonder if they're going to even look at my application. It seems that I may have applied too early after reading the previous posts.

I tried to apply for ROTP 2009-2010 in February of 2009 but missed the deadline much like you. I applied again soon after for ROTP 2010-2011 and waited a long year and three months until I was selected. So if you think you applied too early, you didn't, the only problem I had with applying so early was having to wait soooo long until this year's selections. As long as you gave your updated 2011-2012 ROTP questionnaire (I think that's what it's called) to your CFRC you should be good. However, all CFRCs are different. So, as Rogo said, just give them a call. Also, be prepared for update interviews and more paperwork as the new year approaches, but as for applying too early...I did it and it worked, so just enjoy the loooong wait  .

As for the voice, it's a little thing called "no self-confidence". You need to tell your self you are good enough, tell yourself you are bigger, tell yourself you are smarter. The problem you guys have is that you think so low of yourselves that even when you run and do weights and get bigger, you still view yourself as the same size and fitness level. When you study and get good grades, you still think you're at the bottom of the pack. The brain does wonders on your perception of yourself. So switching that view around and purposely telling yourself all the time you are getting bigger, smarter, faster, etc, soon you will see your confidence rise. All you have to do is KNOW you are good enough and tell yourself that all the time, it's a simple as that. I dealt with the same problem when I was younger but thinking positive works, and although it's cliche, it's definitely helped my confidence. That's just my two cents though...Cheers, and good luck to everyone next year.

 

[Rogo]

Here's another confidence builder.  Do this program for pushups http://www.hundredpushups.com/test.html


Not only does this get you better at push ups you will be able to compare your progress from when you started to wherever you are at the moment.  You will improve.  Try it and soon once you realise you can improve with push ups you will see that you can improve other aspects of your application too.

Keep your chin up.

 

[Thousand]

Thanks guys, that helped tremendously. I also just found out I need to work on my push ups. They suck. 

 

[Rogo]

No worries  in a few weeks if you stick with it you may not be doing 100 or even 50 but you'll be doing more than today