Infantry Soldier Trade CLOSED!

[TheWillPower]

Hello

I applied for the Infantry Soldier in late January 2013. I just called my recruiter to find out the status of my application and he told me that they haven't even started the background check process because the INFANTRY SOLDIER trade is closed. He also told me that once the trade opens up, it will be hard to get in since a lot of people will be applying for it. He advised to apply for the Artillery Soldier trade because it just opened up. 

Now, will I be able to change my trade to Infantry Soldier later in my career? Is it worth waiting for the Infantry trade? Is it going to be open soon? When? Can someone please give a list of open-trades?
Can I start school while waiting?

Any additional information will be an asset!

Thank You!!

 

[Spooks]

Here is my take on things:

Do you want to go artillery? Sure it's open and people may say 'oh, you can switch trades once you're in' which is partially true. Here is what happens: Say you get in as an arty troop. In basic, they'll ask if anyone wants to change trades. You say yes and they check to see if infantry is open. If not, then your request is declined. You graduate BMQ. Once into (or finished, can't remember which) your trades training, you are stuck in that trade for 3yrs - no ifs, ands, or buts. Once you are past that mark, you can try for an Occupation Transfer (OT) but that'll only work if the trade you are going into is open, if you trade is allowing people to go, and a bunch of other factors.

Essentially, the lesson I will pass onto you is: If you cannot see yourself happily doing that job for 3yrs, don't go into it. If your heart is dead set on being infantry, wait out until infantry opens up. Increase your competitive attributes: work on fitness, volunteer more, work on fitness, do courses, do things that show leadership capabilities, and work of fitness. These things will just increase your chances (not a gurantee but probability) of being picked up.

 

[Ducam]

I called my recruitment office once back in mid February and asked about my file. The woman at the front desk looked up my file and told me that two of my three trades were closed and I had to pick two new ones. I dropped one trade and picked up Combat Engineer.
I didn't think anything of it and went into my interview at the end of February.

The interviewer went over my trade choices and I mentioned why I had changed them. He looked at me confused and said he wouldn't know why I would have been told that I had to change my trade options since they were hiring over 150 Infantry and well over 100 in my other trade choices.
I promptly changed my options back to my original trade choices.

If you go over the application process samples forum you may notice that no one applying for Infantry has said they got in AND this time last year no one was saying they got into combat trades for basic training around this time either.
A lot of guys were getting in for combat trades later on in the year.

 

[cupper]

This topic seems to be a duplicate by the OP

 

[Ducam]

Right you are.

 

[Mr.Neville]

This may not be confirmed, but I overheard some officers at CFRC Victoria this morning talking to a gentleman that came in asking about Reg Force Infantry and they mentioned it had just opened up last week, not sure how accurate this information is so phone your local recruiting center. Generally they won't give you a list with what trades are open, they will ask you to select three trades that you prefer, and then after you do your CFAT they will let you know if you have a high enough score for that trade, and if so whether they have an open spot. Sometimes if none of your chosen trades are available they may offer you another one depending on your score. Your best bet is to talk your local recruiting center, as they will know a lot more up to date information then most people here. Good luck, hope it works out for you!

Edit: I wasn't eavesdropping by the way, it was some man who came into the lobby asking about information and I just happened to be waiting there.

 

[Spooks]

According to the mirror thread started by the OP at http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/110262/post-1224237.html#msg1224237, the infantry trade is open right now. Scroll to DAA's comment and read from then on. A quote right from his later post says:

If your recruiter tells you anything different, then they should give you the benefit of the doubt and atleast check to make sure they have the most current information.

Edit: Spelling though there's prolly others left

 

[cupper]

Maybe the mods should either lock this one or merge the two.

 

[KerryBlue]

I went in to CFRC Toronto around the 17th and the recruiter there indicated that there were positions open within infantry, but at the time they were not yet accepting outside applications. But he indicated that it is likely to open up some time in the near future. This also applied to the Combat engineer trade as well. I don't know if this is helpful to anyone, just trying to pass on firsthand information. 

 

[PteAJL]

This is just my opinion so don't bash me, but everyone who seems to be wanting to join the combat arms wants to be in INFANTRY.
Whats wrong with the other combat trades? All of them are trained as infantry before they do specific occupational training, are they not?

 

[daftandbarmy]

This is just my opinion so don/t bash me, but everyone who seems to be wanting to join the combat arms wants to be in INFANTRY.
Whats wrong with the other combat trades? All of them are trained as infantry before they do specific occupational training, are they not?

Because in the infantry we are all much better looking and smarter than the rest of the fish and chip mobs, so we have to beat the women away with fire shovels. Those women eventually go on to marry MPs.  ;D

 

[Chelomo]

Because people play games and see movies, and that breeds certain expectations of what soldiers do. So they want to be in the middle of the action, or do heroic deeds, shoot stuff etc... Infantry is normally glorified a lot in war movies. That's not to say they don't do an amazing job however, just that civvies like us are led to believe that everyday infantrymen blow up bunkers and storm fortifications.

Ironically, during the Napoleonic Wars, it was considered a step down from Artillery and Cavalry to command infantry for an officer.