The Naval Experience Program – Year 1 Update

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In April 2023, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) embarked on a new initiative, the Naval Experience Program (NEP), aimed at reimagining how we attract, recruit, and train new sailors, and the first cohort of the program enrolled in June. The aim of the program is simple: attract individuals interested in the unique lifestyle offered by the navy, streamline the transition to naval service, and ignite a genuine passion for naval work.   

How is the program going?

NEP has three main objectives: Attract and enroll, provide training and occupation exposure, and retain as many participants as possible into full-time naval service. 

The following details outline the goals and achievements in each of these areas. To note, it must be recognized that while the program was launched on April 1, 2023, the majority of current participants were enrolled in the summer and fall of 2023 and have not yet completed the one-year program. The data contained in this document is current as of June 3, 2024.  

Objective 1: Attract and Enroll 

Goal: Enroll 144 sailors within the first year.  

Assessment: The enrollment target was surpassed with 179 sailors demonstrating a promising start for NEP.   

Enrollment Numbers in Detail:  Approximately 1459 individuals applied to NEP as of June 2024. Of these,179 sailors were successfully enrolled, surpassing the initial goal. Notably, over 500 applicants are currently in various stages of the recruitment process.   

There were approximatively 760 applicants who did not carry on to enrollment. This may be attributed to ineligibility of the applicant (13%) or applicants who chose not to follow through with enrollment (67%). Further analysis is required to determine if improvements can be made to the initial phases of recruitment.  

Although the RCN set an ambitious goal of a 21-day recruiting process, the current NEP enrollment time takes, on average, 166 days. The Canadian Forces Recruiting Group (CFRG) along with other organizations within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are working to streamline their process which should improve enrollment time overall.   

Objective 2: Training and Occupation Exposure  

Goal: Qualify NEP participants to basic CAF and RCN standards. Provide an immersive naval experience.   

Assessment: On the training side, 83% of the participants completed their basic military qualification (BMQ) training and continued their NEP journey. The RCN has been able to offer participants a variety of hands-on naval experiences thanks to the creativity and flexibility of the NEP and Personnel Coordination Centres leadership, fleet staff, Naval Training Group, and ships’ companies. Finding enough right opportunities was not without challenges. RCN personnel management redefined how they work to incorporate NEP training into their daily roles, while meeting the objectives of the program without impacting other training programs.   

Training and Experience in Detail:  NEP sailors are first required to complete their Basic Military Qualification (BMQ), the first qualification that all CAF members are required to pass. During BMQ, participants learned how to conduct drills, properly handle a weapon, apply first aid, and practice fieldcraft. Successful participants then move to complete the Naval Environmental Training Program (NETP), which teaches the basic naval competencies required to serve aboard His Majesty’s Canadian Ships. This training includes performing general duties, performing force protection, performing damage control, and carrying out survival drills at sea.   

After successfully completing both BMQ and NETP, participants were offered a series of experiences at sea and ashore to get a small taste of the adventures that can be found in a naval career. Participants got a first-hand look at what it means to see the world while serving a greater cause. Examples of program activities during the first year that helped participants decide whether a career in the navy was right for them included:   

• visiting Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to join His Majesty’s Canadian Ships Ottawa and Vancouver during their transit home from the Indo-Pacific Region to their home port of Esquimalt, B.-C.;    

• joining HMCS Charlottetown in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, to participate in Operation REASSURANCE for three weeks, including NATO Exercise JOINT WARRIOR 2024, and a port visit in Reykjavik, Iceland;    

• joining HMCS Fredericton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and experiencing life on ship for a month;    

• supporting naval occupational training onboard Orca-class training vessels in the vicinity of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands;     

• transiting through the scenic Inside Passage of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on a Kingston-class vessel following a port visit in Prince Rupert, British Columbia; and 

• participating in the visit of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, to British Columbia, the commissioning of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Max Bernays, and Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Ceremonies. 

Objective 3: Retain 

Goal: Guide as many NEP participants as possible into naval occupations.  

Assessment: Ongoing. The first group of NEP participants have approached the end of their one-year engagement (23). Of those, 74% (17) have chosen to embark in a career with the Regular Force. The RCN will have more fidelity on the data in the fall of 2024, after most of the currently serving NEP participants will have completed their one-year engagement.  

Retain in Detail:  Within the first wave of sailors who enrolled in NEP in the summer of 2023, 3 have completed an occupation transfer to the Regular Force, while another 14 transfers are currently being processed. These transfers are broken down as follows: RCN 8, Canadian Army 4, Royal Canadian Air Force 2, and other CAF organizations 3. Finally, 2 participants have transferred to the Naval Reserve, and 4 have released from the CAF.   

Of NEP sailors who are currently in the program and receiving career guidance, the most common naval occupations requested are Weapons Engineering Technician, Naval Electronic Sensor Operator, Naval Combat Information Operator and Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) Operator. Next in popularity are the Marine Technician and Boatswain occupations. 

Areas of Continuous Improvement

From the program’s inception, the RCN recognized that operating within the existing CAF recruitment procedures would pose some challenges and worked closely with CFRG to ensure that NEP participants were processed efficiently while not interfering with the regular CAF recruiting process.   

During the rollout of the program, concerns were raised about incorporating NEP sailors into existing training programs, knowing that there are current sailors who are awaiting training and qualifications. These two things are not interdependent. Training for current members has not been delayed by NEP. Ultimately, the goal of NEP is to bolster our naval force, a shared priority for all members of the RCN.   

What is next? 

The Naval Experience Program is a five-year pilot program, and results will be tracked and measured as the RCN continues to enroll and train participants. Throughout the first year of the program, participants have reported that the training and experiences offered were exactly what they expected – however, the RCN will continue to improve to ensure that participants gain a full picture of life at sea. Ongoing work to advance the overall recruiting process for the CAF will in turn assist with enrolling members into NEP, this includes streamlining suitability, as well as medical and security eligibility screening.   

Although the one-year mark is too soon to fully anticipate the retention rate and longer-term impacts of the program, the RCN is hopeful that a maximum number of NEP participants will commit to full-time naval service to Canada. As participants complete their first year, each participant will go through an exit interview. The information gathered during these interviews will help the RCN improve the program.   

Transitioning into year two of the NEP, the RCN is taking lessons learned from year-one into account and adjusting the program using this feedback. Some elements the RCN is actioning include the continuous enrollment of applicants into the program; streamlining the occupational selection process to potentially include trades belonging to other operational environments; and further exploration of naval experiences which will offer the most value to both NEP sailors and non-NEP sailors awaiting training.