What They Do
Signals Officers are commissioned members of the Communications and Electronics Branch of the Canadian Forces (CF). Their main function is to deliver telecommunications services to the Canadian Forces, especially the Army; and to command units that specialize in command, control, computers and communications.
Signals Officers plan and manage communications systems for CF units and headquarters deployed in Canada and around the world, and are responsible for the operations and maintenance of all CF communications systems that are not built into aircraft, boats or ships. As staff officers, they may be employed in policy development and project management.
As a Signals Officer, you will be extensively involved in systems engineering and network operations, working with Army command support equipment such as:
- Purpose designed, computer based Information Systems that assist with Battlefield Command and Control, Reconnaissance and Surveillance, and Target Acquisition
- the full spectrum of radio systems from HF to EHF
- electronic warfare systems
- cryptographic and communications- security systems To perform well in this career, you must also be fully competent in the conduct of land operations.
Qualification Requirements
Personal Characteristics
Service as a Signals Officer calls for selfless leadership and the highest dedication to the chain of command, to your peers and, especially, to your subordinates. Signals Officers must be able to lead troops in close support of combat units, and are frequently required to perform many physical and mental tasks at once in adverse circumstances. To succeed in this career, you must have physical and mental strength and stamina; methodical, efficient thought processes; cool, mature judgement; and the ability to perform steadily under stress.
Formal Qualifications
You must meet Canadian Forces medical standards, and successfully complete a selection process that includes interviews and a wide range of examinations.
If you are not qualified for Direct Entry, you must be qualified for either the Regular Officer Training Plan or (if it is available) the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan.
Direct Entry applicants must hold the degree of Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science from an accredited Canadian university. The preferred degree is the Bachelor of Engineering in one of the following disciplines: Electrical/ Electronics, Software, Computer or Physics. Consideration will also be given to those holding the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Aerospace Systems Management, Mechanical Engineering or Nuclear Engineering, and those holding the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Applied Science, Mathematics, Physics or Space Science. A recruiting allowance may be provided to eligible applicants to this military occupation. Contact your local recruiter for details.
The Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) comprises a full undergraduate education (to the Bachelor’s degree level) at the Royal Military College of Canada or another accredited Canadian university, followed by at least four years of obligatory service in the Regular component of the Canadian Forces, commencing immediately upon graduation. To qualify for ROTP, you must have completed high school with the appropriate university-oriented credits, or be in Grade 12 in an appropriate program with full expectation of successful completion. You must also be willing to complete four years of obligatory service after graduation from university.
Initial Employment
Your first posting will be to an operational Army unit where you will be exposed to a wide range of work to complement your training and prepare you for your first leadership appointment. At this early stage of your career, you will perform the tasks of a Signals Officer under supervision. As your career develops, you may be employed in administrative and technical fields as well as operations. You may be deployed overseas on operations, or be posted to an international headquarters or to an exchange or liaison assignment in an allied nation. Promotion is based on merit, and advancement is excellent for Signals Officers who perform well and complete the in-service professional development program.
Working Environment
Signals Officers work in all climates, environments and circumstances, from the office-like setting of a base or garrison to the discomforts and risks of service with an operational Army unit, both on exercise in Canada and on overseas deployments that may involve combat. The major source of stress for Signals Officers, as for other Army officers, is the requirement to meet operational deadlines, supervise large numbers of personnel, and make critical decisions in circumstances where the consequences of error are abnormally high.
Appropriate training, environmental clothing and equipment are provided, and Signals Officers’ health, safety and morale are closely monitored.
The length and content of officer training depend on the entry plan you use to join the CF.
Phase I: Initial Assessment and Basic Officer Training
Initial Assessment and the Basic Officer Training Course (BOTC) are conducted at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. During BOTC, you will learn the principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the service, basic weapons-handling, and first aid. Throughout Phase I, you will participate in a rigorous program of fitness training and sports, and you may also receive second-language training.
Phase II: Common Army Phase
For Phase II, the "Common Army Phase“ of officer training, you will go to the Infantry School at the Combat Training Centre at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick. During this phase, you will build upon the leadership training you received in Phase I and develop the skills required of all Army officers, including more advanced weapons-handling, field-craft, and section-level tactics. You will also continue the rigorous fitness-training and sports program.
Phase III: Basic Signals Officers’ Course
In Phase III, you begin military occupation training with the first stage of the Basic Signals Officers’ Course (BSOC), conducted in Kingston, Ontario, at the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics. During Phase III, you will learn the skills and knowledge required to supervise and lead a Section in tactical operations in the field, applying and building on the skills and knowledge acquired during earlier phases of training. Emphasis will be placed on leadership, administration, and more advanced theory of communications and electronics and its application.
Phase IV: Completion of BSOC
In Phase IV, you prepare for your first posting by completing BSOC with training in operations and command at the Signal Troop or Platoon level in both the field and garrison environments. During this phase, you will learn every facet of command support, acquiring knowledge of communications requirements and maintenance as well as the employment of communications in operations. You will also receive an introduction to project management in the communications and electronics field.
