Canadian Coast Guard Officer Training Program

About the position

Work environment

The Department of National Defence (DND) is one of the largest federal government employers, offering over 70 types of civilian career opportunities. DND's role is to provide services and support to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in their operations and missions at home and abroad. The civilian workforce is an essential part of the Defence Team. Your knowledge and expertise contribute to the overall mission. In this regard, the department fosters a work environment where you have opportunities to learn, to develop your talents, to progress in your career and have job satisfaction over the long-term.

🚢The Canadian Coast Guard is a special operating agency within the Department of National Defence. We work to ensure the safety of mariners in Canadian waters and protect Canada’s marine environment.

📗The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is the national maritime training facility of the Canadian Coast Guard. The CCG Academy develops and delivers specialized training and services in French and English to support our mission and mandate in marine safety, security and environmental protection.

• Note: Effective 1 September 2025, the Canadian Coast Guard has transferred to DND by Order-in-Council.
• Intent of the process

✨ Organizational Needs✨

• The Department of National Defence is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive team that reflects Canada's population.
• To achieve a representative workforce, selection may be based on qualified candidates who self-declare as Indigenous Peoples, in order to support increased representation of Indigenous Peoples within the organization.
• Candidates belonging to the other employment equity groups such as members of visible minorities, persons with diabilities and women, are also encouraged to self-declare when applying.
• As means to support our military families, consideration may first be given to the spouses or common-law partners of serving Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.

The Canadian Coast Guard recruits and develops candidates to become Canadian Coast Guard Officers. Candidates entering into the Canadian Coast Guard Officer Training Program are initially hired as Officer Cadets at the SO-MAO-00 level and progress to the SO-MAO-02 level (*under review) once they have completed the 4 year training program. Upon graduation, they are given continued employment across Canada, within the Coast Guard Fleet.

📖 The Canadian Coast Guard Officer Training Program will not only provide you with a gateway to becoming a Marine Engineering Officer or a Marine Navigation Officer with the Coast Guard, but provides the following benefits of employment:

• Classroom and practical training at the Academy and on Coast Guard vessels
• Textbooks and uniforms
• Room and board
• A monthly allowance
• Medical and dental plan coverage

Graduates from the Canadian Coast Guard Academy will receive:

• Technology Degree in Nautical Sciences granted in partnership with Cape Breton University
• Canadian Coast Guard Academy Diploma
• Commercial Certification as a Ship's Officer issued by Transport Canada
• Continued employment with the Canadian Coast Guard. CCG Officers must accept an assigned posting anywhere in Canada.

Qualified candidates may be selected for entry into the program prior to the closing date. The CCG Academy has one intake per year, typical start date is the last week of August. The CCG Academy has limited number of positions, and not all candidates who are successful in the application process will enter into the program.

As it can take several months to complete assessments, applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. In order to be considered for the intake of 2027, complete applications and transcripts need to be received by February 19th, 2027.

Important messages

▶This is an inventory process, and candidates will be assessed on a continuous basis until the closing date.

▶After clicking “Apply now” and answering the non-screening questions, please ensure you click “Submit application.”

▶ Once your GC Jobs application is submitted, you will receive an email with a link to the VidCruiter platform to complete the entire Officer Training Program application and essential screening questions. If you have already started your application through VidCruiter this step does not apply to you. ▶ Candidates must meet ALL essential qualifications, operational requirements, and conditions of employment to be considered for an appointment to one of the limited positions.

▶ Candidates are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of their choice and are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

▶ As all of the communication for this process will be conducted via email for screening and assessment purposes (including sending invitations for interviews), it is your responsibility to ensure that you check for messages regularly and to ensure that your email address accepts messages from unknown users; some email systems block these types of email or filter them to a junk mail folder. The Canadian Coast Guard Academy is not responsible for any incorrect or incomplete application information. Errors in your profile and or failure to update your information may result in no further consideration of your application.

▶ All information collected during the selection process including behaviour and communication, from the time of the application until the end of the process, may be used to assess candidates.

▶ To ensure the integrity of the selection process, the content and questions of the assessment must remain confidential. Please do not discuss or share the assessment content with anyone, including other candidates. You must complete the assessment, including screening questions, by yourself, without the help of others, including the use of unapproved internet resources and artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT or any other forms of artificial intelligence). Plagiarism and the use of artificial intelligence is strictly prohibited throughout the entire process and suspected non-compliance will be investigated. Any violation may result in potential consequences which could include your elimination from this selection process.

▶ If, at any point in this process or upon qualifying in this process, your Values and Ethics do not align with that of the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces Code of Values and Ethics and Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, you will be eliminated from further consideration in this process. (Copy and paste these links in your browser for more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/benefits-military/defence-ethics/policies-publications/code-value-ethics.html AND https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=25049).