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Vehicle Technician
OVERVIEW
They are members of a team responsible for maintaining, repairing and overhauling Canadian Forces land vehicles and related equipment to keep them in top condition.
WHAT THEY DO
Vehicle Technicians belong to the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces. Each Vehicle Technician is a member of a team responsible for maintaining, repairing and overhauling CF land vehicles and related equipment to keep them in top condition.
A Vehicle Technician has the following primary duties:
Inspect, repair, overhaul and modify all types of automotive equipment and components;
Repair, adjust and modify automotive systems (i.e., cooling, air-intake, fuel, exhaust, electrical, drive-train, brake, frame, steering and suspension);
Repair, adjust, overhaul and modify powered equipment such as electrical generators and fuel-fired heating devices;
Use and maintain common and specialized tools, basic garage hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic equipment and oxyacetylene welding equipment;
Carry out the recovery of all types of vehicles used in the land forces, utilizing standard towing trucks and specialized tracked and wheeled recovery vehicles;
Drive all types of vehicles ranging from small jeeps to tank transporters; and
Prepare and process maintenance documentation dealing with work orders, individual time cards and parts request forms.
Perform in land operations, when necessary, fight as infantry (includes use of personal weapon, reconnaissance and section level tactics)
A Vehicle Technician has the following primary duties:
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Vehicle Technicians should enjoy detailed, methodical work with engines and mechanical equipment. They should be adaptable and capable of following instructions and ensuring that their work meets strict standards. Good hand-eye co-ordination and manual dexterity are important attributes. Physical strength, resourcefulness and record-keeping ability are also desirable.
TRAINING
Basic Military Qualification
The first stage of training for everyone is the 13-week Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. It is also physically demanding. A primary goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits attain the CF physical fitness standard. BMQ covers the following topics:
Policies and regulations of the Canadian Forces;
CF drill, dress and deportment (the “three D's”);
Basic safety;
First aid;
Personal survival in nuclear, biological and chemical conditions;
Handling and firing personal weapons;
Cross-country navigation; and
Personal survival in field conditions
Soldier Qualification
On successful completion of BMQ, Vehicle Technicians go to a Military Training Centre for the Soldier Qualification (SQ) course, which lasts 20 training days and covers the following topics:
Army physical fitness;
dismounted offensive and defensive operations;
reconnaissance patrolling;
advanced weapons-handling (working with grenades, machine-guns and anti-tank weapons); and
individual field-craft.
Basic Military Occupational Training
On completion of SQ, Basic Military Occupational (MOC) Training for Vehicle Technicians begins with about four weeks of driver training at the Canadian Forces School of Administration and Logistics at CFB Borden, Ontario. Driver training for Vehicle Technicians covers a wide range of commercial and military-pattern vehicles up to a three-ton capacity.
The Vehicle Technician MOC course takes about 30 weeks and is conducted at the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (CFSEME) at CFB Borden. Using a combination of theory instruction, demonstrations and practical work, it covers the following material:
Principles and operating characteristics of internal combustion engines powered by Diesel fuel, gasoline and alternative fuels;
Repair and overhaul of typical engines and vehicle components;
Common and special tools and electronic test equipment;
Basic garage equipment (hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic);
Oxyacetylene welding equipment;
Automotive systems (cooling, air-intake, fuel, exhaust, electrical, drive-train, brake, frame, steering and suspension);
Operating light tracked vehicles;
Basic soldiering, including fieldcraft and battlecraft
The first stage of training for everyone is the 13-week Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. It is also physically demanding. A primary goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits attain the CF physical fitness standard. BMQ covers the following topics:
Soldier Qualification
On successful completion of BMQ, Vehicle Technicians go to a Military Training Centre for the Soldier Qualification (SQ) course, which lasts 20 training days and covers the following topics:
Basic Military Occupational Training
On completion of SQ, Basic Military Occupational (MOC) Training for Vehicle Technicians begins with about four weeks of driver training at the Canadian Forces School of Administration and Logistics at CFB Borden, Ontario. Driver training for Vehicle Technicians covers a wide range of commercial and military-pattern vehicles up to a three-ton capacity.
The Vehicle Technician MOC course takes about 30 weeks and is conducted at the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (CFSEME) at CFB Borden. Using a combination of theory instruction, demonstrations and practical work, it covers the following material:
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Opportunities for career progression and advanced training are average for qualified applicants.
INITIAL EMPLOYMENT
On successful completion of MOC training, Vehicle Technicians are posted to a unit on a Canadian Forces Base for about 18 months of on-job training (OJT), which resembles a civilian apprenticeship program. During the OJT period, they practice and build on the material taught during MOC training.
SPECIALTY TRAINING
Upon completion of OJT, Vehicle Technicians are eligible to attend further technical training (for approx 16 weeks) at CFSEME. At the end of this training phase, a Vehicle Technician's trade knowledge, skills and experience are comparable to those of a civilian journeyman. Vehicle 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 five weeks, and the Manager level course takes about nine weeks.
The following specialty training may also be available:
Non-Destructive Testing Techniques
Instructional Techniques
Northern Terrain Vehicle Maintenance
Engineering and Ground Support Equipment Maintenance
Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge / Armoured Engineering Vehicle Maintenance
Self-Propelled Howitzer and Recovery Vehicle Maintenance
Leopard C1 Main Battle Tank and Leopard Armoured Recovery Vehicle Maintenance and Recovery
The following specialty training may also be available:
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Vehicle Technicians posted to a base normally work in enclosed workshops that are lighted and heated. During field training and on operations in the field, Vehicle 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 Vehicle 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 Vehicle Technicians' health, safety and morale are closely monitored.
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