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Basic Military Qualification (BMQ)
The Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) Course is the first step for any military member. This 4-week long course (for reserves) will teach you the basics of being in the military.
The aim is to introduce recruits to a military lifestyle. You will learn:
The BMQ will teach you necessary confidence skills and how to manage stress. The schedule for BMQ is either part time on weekends. This happens either in September to December, or from January to May. The other option is to do it full time during the summer. You will get up every day at around 0530, followed by physical training (PT), shower then breakfast. The rest of the day you will have various lectures either inside or outside, until lunch then supper. After supper there will either be more lectures, more PT or the night off. After 3 weeks of doing this,you will spend about 6 days in the field then graduate.
Soldier Qualification (SQ)
The SQ is an Army-wide course that lasts 3 weeks, either part time or full time during the summer. It is specific to members of the Army (the Air Force and Navy have their own courses). This course focuses on the basics of being a soldier. You will learn to use the Light Machine Gun (C9), General Purpose Machine Gun (C6), grenades and how to be an effective part of a section.
The aim of the SQ is the following:
The SQ follows a similar schedule than the BMQ, and is also offered part or full time.
Basic Infantry Qualification (BIQ)
This is the last course you need before you are a fully qualified Infantry soldier. It will teach you all about being in the Infantry, from how to fire mortars and be part of a platoon. You will become a marksman with your rifle (C7) and know how to survive in the field. It is a 4 weeks long course that can only be completed full time during the summer months.
The aim of the BIQ is:
Platoon Support Weapons Qualification (PSWQ)
The PSWQ (also known as DP2A) is an optional 2 week course that is given when you are ready. It teaches the basics of using a 9mm handgun, how to be an effective weapons coach on the range and the advance uses of the C6 General Purpose Machine Gun.
Primary Leadership Qualification (PLQ)
The PLQ is the beginning of learning how to be an effective leader in the Army. This course will be given later in in your career. It teaches how to be an instructor and a capable section commander. Infantry soldiers take the PLQ (Infantry) which enables the candidate to be a section commander in the Infantry, whereas the PLQ (Land) does not. It is broken down into the following modules:
PLQ (Land) is what all of the army trades take. It is delivered in 6 Modules (Mods). The first 4 Mods can be taken in any order with Mods 5 and 6 being last. Additionally, the candidate must be a Cpl and merit listed for Mods 5 and 6 (for reserves, merit listed normally means your CO thinks you are ready). The Mods are as follows:
PLQ (Infantry) uses the same Mods 1-5 and prerequisites as the PLQ (Land). It essentially replaces Mod 6. The first part (small party tasks) is the same as PLQ (Land), the second third and fourth parts cover offensive ops, defensive ops and patrolling, but in more detail than on PLQ (Land) Mod 6.
(Source: http://www.army.ca)
Other Qualifications
Other courses you will be able to take at the beginning of your career are the Communications course, where you learn the use of radios and the driver wheel course that teaches the use of military vehicules and gives you a DND 404 drivers license. Some troops also do a paratrooper course, and a reconnaisance course, although these last two are reserved for the best the top RMR troops.
