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On Saturday, June 2nd, the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney,
Nova Scotia saw 28 officer cadets (three from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates,
who will return home and 25 Canadians) cast off for an exciting career with the
Canadian Coast Guard. Surrounded by proud families and friends, these young women
and men paraded one last time at the College. Early the next day, they prepared
to leave the campus that had been home for the past four years and bid farewell
to fellow students that had become family, to make their way to Coast Guard stations
around the country and report for their first ship assignments.
For more than 40 years, the College has offered young people an education unlike
any other. Opened in 1965, it soon built a solid reputation for top-notch maritime
training – taught in both French and English. Over the years, thousands of students
have graduated from the institution, taking their acquired skills not only across
Canada, but around the globe, as well.
When the College first opened, it accepted only young men in the four-year officer
training program. In 1973, the College extended its welcome to women as well, and
the first four female navigation officers joined the Coast Guard fleet in 1977.
The first female engineer graduated in 1978, and continues to serve within Coast
Guard today in a senior position.
Offered at the College
Graduates of the Canadian Coast Guard Officer Training Program receive commercial
certification in either marine engineering or marine navigation, a Bachelor of Technology
in Nautical Science degree from Cape Breton University, and a diploma from the College.
Marine engineers operate, maintain and optimize the ship’s propulsion power plant.
They also maintain electric, refrigeration, hydraulic, pneumatic, pump, piping and
fuel systems. Students become familiarized with advances in electronics, energy-efficient
technology and the use of microprocessors, as well.
Navigation officers are responsible for safe navigation of the ship, maintaining
contact between the ship and the outside world, the ship’s stability, search and
rescue, aids to navigation and icebreaking, and landing supplies in isolated areas.
In recent years, the College has added a number of programs to its roster. The
Marine Communications and Traffic Services basic training course is a nine-month
program that instructs students in marine traffic regulating procedures and radio
communications. The College also offers environmental response courses to government
departments and private sector individuals involved in oil spill response.
Search and Rescue (SAR) skills are taught in a nine-week course that includes
a model of operations for a typical Coast Guard lifeboat station or small vessel
station. The SAR program also offers custom-tailored training and SAR system analysis,
as well as technical and software support for the Canadian Search and Rescue Planning
Program.
More than an education
While students master navigational systems and ships’ engines, they also learn
some important values. As a residential facility, the College instils the sense
of family and teamwork that officer cadets quickly come to appreciate once they
take up their first vessel assignment.
In exchange for their tuition-free education, room and board and escalating monthly
allowances, Canadian graduates commit to work four years on board Coast Guard vessels
as officers and engineers. After that period, many opt for a life-long career with
the Coast Guard.
Much of the training offered at the College includes the use of simulators designed
to mimic complex navigation and engine propulsion systems. Simulators offer students
safe, effective and controlled environments in which to learn the required specialized
skills that will help them in their day-to-day role as officers.
Recruitment
The College accepts applications for enrolment from November until January for
the following academic year, which begins in September. Potential recruits should
contact the College either by calling 1-902-567-3208 or by going to their web site
at www.cgc.gc.ca. There are prerequisites for acceptance in the officer training
program, such as math, physics and chemistry; students are encouraged to contact
the College early – both in their academic studies and the school year – so they
can adjust their course stream to avoid disappointment.
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