Posted by Ray Rya from St. John's NF Canada on December 21, 2020 at 14:22:21:
The issues you discuss, are definately of great importance to reserve soldiers. When I first joined the reserves I argued that students were the future of the reserves and we have to strive to have the same training standards througout the Army. However, with time I have seen that students are good for your numbers but they are not going to be your Snr NCOs ten years from now. Good reserve units have a good base of pers with full time employment in the local area.
I will still argue that we should stive to have the same training standards throughout the army. Lets remember that training standards can be meet with shorter courses carried out in blocks. The MITCIP program for officers is based on this priniple. The CLC for NCO, however, is now 8 wks, how many soldiers can take 8 wks off their civi job? Not many.
For you buddy, all EME trades have conversion tests which a reserve soldier can write. I recently had a veh tech who has worked as a mechanic with the City Counicl who was granted his QL5. He has to be observed in the job for several months before everything is signed off. Your buddy should consult with the EME Sgt as the unit where he does OJT. By the way QL4 for EME and many support trades is OJT.
For yourself, your're right, no one (at least at unit level) knows what training will be done for clerks (and other trades). Let me give you an example - a Lt I know (full time employee who had to go through a lot to get time off) had four of the six weeks completed in his Tn Phase III. Well they decided to restructure the program sometime last year, so they didn't run the Block Three under the old program and didn't have a new course to run either. So the Lt has to start over, he will not be granted any qualifications under the new Tn trg. (Yes he has checked it out with CFSAL). So as the saying goes I guess you are up shit-creek without a paddle until someone decides what trg you will do.
As a side note, I take it that you may be a Cpl or MCpl seeing that you are in 11 yrs. If anyone tries to take demote you because you have not received trg in your new trade within the allocated time (2 yrs I believe) they cannot. The Army Comd has stated, as part of the quality of life issues, that if a soldier has not received a QL4 due to cancelation of trg (ie.in your case no crse) the soldier can be promoted to Cpl. Thus, in your case you should not be demoted.
As a final point, in terms of your civi employeers, you should consider talking with the Canadian Forces Laision Council, to see what kind of support they can offer you. Maybe they can change open the eyes of your employeers to the benefits of reserve training.
Have a good one.
Ray Ryan