The Coast Guard College's four year Officer Training Plan will prepare you for certification as an Officer in Marine Engineering or Navigation. The goal of the Canadian Coast Guard College is to provide the finest education to produce the best-qualified Canadian Coast Guard Officers. After four years of training you will have gained the confidence, knowledge and the discipline of a Coast Guard Officer.

Marine Engineers, under the Chief Engineer, operate, maintain and optimize the ship's propulsion power plant. They also maintain internal systems including electric, refrigeration, hydraulic, pneumatic, pump, piping and fuel systems. Your college course will also familiarize you with advances in electronics, energy-efficient technology and the use of microprocessors.

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.

Canada's coastline is longer than any other nations'. It borders the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. The Canadian Coast Guard's mission is to ensure a safe, environmentally sound and efficient transportation system, responsive to the needs of Canadians in a global economy.

Prospective Students

If a career with the Canadian Coast Guard sounds like what you've been looking for, the requirements below will help determine your eligibility:

1. You must be a Canadian citizen or have landed immigrant status. Canadian citizens have priority. Copy of proof of citizenship (Birth certificate or passport) or landed immigrant status is required.
2. You must have successfully completed secondary school (first year of CEGEP is a requirement for all Québec residents) in the university preparatory program or higher program suitable for a degree in science, engineering or other technologies.
• 2 senior year Math courses (advanced, academic or pre-university 
• 2 Physics, high school or higher  
• 1 Chemistry, Grade 10 or higher (Engineering program only)
• English, Grade 12 (in Québec Sec. V) or higher
• 2 years of French in high school or higher
  
3. Candidates must submit to and successfully pass a pre-employment medical assessment, conducted by Health Canada or its designated medical doctors, including eyesight and hearing examinations. Requirements are the same for both Engineer and Navigation students. It is important to note that this standard must be maintained for each level of professional certification.
4. The nature of the job requires a high degree of mobility, Officer-Cadets, and on completion of program, Officers, will be assigned and/or reassigned across Canada as required by operational requirements.
5. Application Deadline - If you are planning to apply for September 2008 please be advised that applications postmarked after January 31, 2008 will not be accepted (but could be considered for the following year's recruitment campaign).
6. Course Completion deadline - If you will not complete a required course until June of the year you wish to enrol, you may apply anyway. To meet the deadline for applications please have your school submit a partial transcript with preliminary marks or evaluations for the uncompleted courses to the Coast Guard College Office of the Registrar by January 31, 2008. Please note - Any offer of acceptance will be conditional, subject to the Registrar's Office receiving proof of successful completion of the academic requirements.
7. Final Transcripts must be forwarded to: Canadian Coast Guard College, Office of the Registrar, P.O. Box 4500, Sydney, N.S.,B1P 6L1 by July 31 of the enrolment year. 
8. Please note: Experience is a valuable factor and preference may be given to those having practical experience in one or more of the following:

9. Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their application that they meet the above screening criteria.
10. Alternate test dates will only be considered for religious reasons, death in the family or in cases of a serious illness (a Doctor's certificate or other proof will be required).
11. After the written exams, Board members will interview the top candidates for each available program.
12. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is committed to having a skilled, diversified workforce reflective of Canadian society; to the equitable representation of women; Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities; to the reasonable accommodation of special needs.
13. We will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.
14. Candidates who meet the above criteria will also be assessed against the Statement of Qualifications for this position:
15. Knowledge - Knowledge of the Canadian Coast Guard
16. Abilities and Skills-
    • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
    • Ability to use reasoning skills to solve problems
    • Ability to effectively plan and organize
    • Ability to use mathematics and physics (Test will be administered).
17. Personal Suitability
    • Effective interpersonal skills
    • Initiative
    • Judgement
    • Teamwork
18. Security Clearance
    • Secret Level II Security Check - this factor is not used at the pre-selection stage.