You must be a versatile and highly skilled person to become a Materials technician. Your main activities will be: Welding; Machining; Sheet metal work; Painting; and Working with textiles, fibreglass and composite.

Materials Technicians belong to the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces. The Materials Technician is a versatile, highly skilled person who is usually employed with a Maintenance Unit. The main activities of the Materials Technician are:

• Welding;
• Machining;
• Sheet metal work;
• Painting; and
• Work with textiles, fibreglass and composite.

These skills are applied primarily in the maintenance and repair of land vehicles and related equipment, mostly in Army units but also in the Air Force and Navy.

Materials Technicians must have good learning ability, spatial and form perception, hand-eye co-ordination and manual dexterity, and sufficient physical strength to handle heavy components, stock and tools. They must possess mechanical aptitude, enjoy working with machines, and be able to follow specific instructions, and produce detailed work completed to a high standard of accuracy.

Qualified Materials Technicians who are ambitious and capable will find excellent opportunities for Advanced MOC Training, specialty training and promotion. Materials Technicians are employed at bases and stations across Canada and on deployed operations around the world.

On successful completion of Basic MOC Training, Materials Technicians are posted to a unit on a Canadian Forces Base for about 18 months of on-the-job training (OJT), which resembles a civilian apprenticeship program. During the OJT period, they practise and build on the material taught during Basic MOC Training.

After the period of OJT, Materials Technicians are eligible for the 27-week Intermediate MOC Training course at CFSEME. At the end of this training phase, a Materials Technician’s trade knowledge, skills and experience are comparable to those of a civilian journeyman. Materials Technicians who display the ability and ambition required to excel may be selected for Advanced MOC Training at the Supervisor and Manager levels. The Supervisor level course takes about 13 weeks, and the Manager level course takes about nine weeks. The following specialty training may also be available:

• Advanced Machining
• Advanced Welding
• Non-Destructive Testing Techniques
• Military Bridging Inspection
• ISO Sea Container Inspection
• Occupational Health and Safety

Materials Technicians posted to a base normally work in enclosed workshops that are lighted and heated. During field training and on operations in the field, Materials Technicians generally work in temporary or improvised accommodations, or outdoors where they may be exposed to extreme environmental and climatic conditions for extended periods. Working conditions typically include poor ventilation, confined work areas, and exposure to loud noise, heat, dust and fumes. The job has heavy physical demands, and a Materials Technician must be able to stoop, lift heavy weights, and kneel, crouch or stand for long periods. Normal levels of mental stress are found when employed on a base, but stress increases considerably when on exercise or deployed on operations. Appropriate training, environmental clothing and equipment are provided, and Materials Technicians’ health, safety and morale are closely monitored.