INVENTORY: Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) Officer - Ab initio Trainee

Important messages

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

The Canadian Coast Guard intend to make a new consideration of all candidacies that are registered on this inventory on April 3rd of 2018. Please insure that your candidacy is completed and submitted at this date. Take note that this consideration of candidacies in is made in the intention of offering available places at Phase I of the training program at Fall of 2018. Candidacies submitted after April 3rd won’t be considered until a new draw of candidacies is made.

For further information on the organization, please visit Canadian Coast Guard (an Agency of Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
Information on Marine Communications and Traffic Services can be found at: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/Marine-Communications/Home
Information on Marine Communications and Traffic Services Officer Training Phase I can be found at: http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/College-and-Careers/MCTS-Officer

Would you like to help vessels in distress? Prevent them from colliding? Do you enjoy a fast-paced environment? Then, we may have the job for you!

Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) Officers with the Canadian Coast Guard provide one of the first responses to ships and vessels in distress. They oversee the safety of waterways within Canada’s 200 mile limit by communicating with vessels, issuing weather bulletins and monitoring marine traffic to ensure that vessels entering Canadian waters are in compliance with Canadian Acts and Regulations.

The job is challenging, fast-paced and always interesting, but can be stressful and demanding. You speak with vessel captains and crews in all kinds of situation, and are often the first contact in marine emergency or crisis. During a marine emergency, you act as a go-between for Search and Rescue and the vessel in danger, and are often the voice those in danger look to for advice and comfort. You need to be able to multi-task and manage many issues at once.

It’s a 24/7 world and we provide service to the marine environment 365 days of the year. With the exception of the Arctic, shipping never stops and neither do we. Consequently, you must be willing to accept shift work and work weekends and holidays.

MCTS Officer Training involves the following two phases:

Phase I: The MCTS Ab Initio 23 week training course takes place at the Canadian Coast Guard College located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The course consists of theory, practical applications and simulations. Here you will learn the basics.

Phase II: On- the-Job training (OJT) takes place at a regionally appointed MCTS centre. Working with an On-the-Job-Instructor, you will learn local geography, local and regional procedures while applying the national elements of Phase I training. The OJT varies according to MCTS centre and can last from 3–12 months.
After successful completion of Phase II candidates are promoted to Marine Communications and Traffic Services Officer.

You will be required to successfully complete each phase of training before continuing to the next Phase and becoming a MCTS Officer.

Travel is necessary to complete the two Phases of training. To complete Phase I, travel is required to attend the Canadian Coast Guard College located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Travel to the regional MCTS centre for Phase II may be required depending on residency at time of hiring. Travel expenses incurred during the two phases of training shall be covered.

During Phase I, you are paid an Ab Initio allowance of $350 per week less appropriate deductions. Also, $90 per week is deducted for meals and accommodations, while at the Canadian Coast Guard College.

For the On-the-Job Phase II training, you are appointed to the RO-01 group and level at a salary of $42111 per annum.

After successful completion of the Centre Designated Checkout of Phase II, you are appointed to the RO-03 MCTS Officer group and level with a salary beginning at $53938 and up to $70284 per annum.

Intent of the process

The inventory imply several draw of candidates done periodically based on the different vacancies in MCTS Centers and the availability of training sessions at the Canadian Coast Guard College. Draws of candidacies are normally conducted in April and October each year. We encourage strongly that your candidacy is updated regularly to reflect your actual situation.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 5,000 words (maximum) "Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application how they meet the education and experience criteria outlined in the essential qualifications. Applicants must use each essential education and experience criteria as a header and then write one or two paragraphs for each criteria demonstrating how they meet the required education and experience. Resumes may be used as a secondary source to validate the information described in the cover letter. Failure to provide this information in the requested format may result in your application being rejected. Applicants are asked to take the same approach to describe their education and experiences of the asset qualifications (other qualifications)."

Contact information for 2 references.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

A secondary school diploma or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

Experience in a marine environment (e.g. member of a Ship’s crew, Navigation officer, Commercial fisheries, Sea cadets etc.).

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Willingness to relocate based on operational requirements.
Willingness to work overtime upon successful completion of all Phases of MCTS Officer training.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Various language requirements
Bilingual imperative (BBB/BBB) for positions in MCTS Centres located at:
Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Les Escoumins and Québec, Québec.
Iqaluit, Nunavut.
Prescott, Ontario.

English essential for positions in MCTS Centres located at:
Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Sarnia, Ontario.
Prince Rupert and Victoria, British Columbia.

Information on language requirements:
Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.
For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Competency in skills associated with MCTS Officer duties (Arithmetic, Checking, Coding, Memory, and Spatial Ability). Note: this will be assessed using the MCTS Aptitude Test.
Ability to keyboard (30 wpm with 95% accuracy).
Ability to communicate orally
Ability to communicate in writing.

Working with others
Client Service Orientation
Managing difficult situations
Adaptability
Judgement and decision making
Initiative

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

Health Canada pre-placement evaluation;
Willingness to accept seasonal employment (Prescott and Sarnia (ON) and Iqaluit, NU);
Willing and able to travel;
Willing and able to accept shift work;
Willing and able to work weekends.

Other information

Candidates will be assessed against essential qualifications (including second language proficiency) and may be required to meet asset qualifications and/or organisational needs, depending on the specific needs of the position. Candidates must meet the pass mark for each of the essential qualifications. Candidates must meet each asset qualification to be used for appointment.

For all bilingual positions, failure to indicate working ability in a second official language during the application process (application or résumé) will result in your application being rejected.
All assessments related to this selection process will be administered in Canada.

Successful completion of the Marine Communications and Traffic Services Aptitude Test is required. Those candidates who have previously successfully completed the MCTS Aptitude Test are not required to rewrite, but will be required to submit the successful results.
Candidates invited to an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).
Applicants are encouraged to work on their keyboarding skills before the assessment date as a higher proficiency in keyboarding may be used to determine right fit.

Top-down ranking may be applied during the selection process.

Candidates will be communicated with via e-mail. In your application, please include the e-mail address that you wish to use for communication purposes throughout this recruitment initiative. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mail account on a regular basis.

Your résumé must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.
The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise the Public Service Commission or the departmental official in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.

The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise the Public Service Commission or the departmental official in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.