GUARD DUTY
Canadian Coast Guard College offers a glimpse into its marine wonders
Canadian Coast Guard College offers guided tours during open house.
Marc Jean spent four and a half months in Arctic waters aboard a Canadian icebreaker.
“It’s a part of Canada that almost nobody gets to see,” said the second-year marine engineering student at the Canadian Coast Guard College in Westmount.
“There were tons of polar bears, seals, narwhals — pretty much anything you could think of — and we got to see a lot of the really cool communities up there as well.”
On Saturday, cadets such as Jean were busy offering guided tours during an open house that was attended by about 600 people.
Members of the public could test marine simulators and practise tying knots, while watching cadets and instructors perform demonstrations in cadet drills and water rescues.
“The classes are top-notch,” said Jean, a native of Sarnia, Ont., who acts as a student liaison in his role as chief cadet captain.
“We’ve got amazing simulators here that really help simulate what actual life on ship is like.”
Jean’s enrolment at the college represents a career change after having already studied kinesiology in university. One of the biggest perks for coast guard cadets, he said, is having their four-year programs paid for by the federal government and a guaranteed job upon graduation.
Courtney Goddard, who travelled all the way from Ottawa, Ont., said she hopes to attend the college in August if accepted for its navigation program.
Goddard said she was pleased with the smaller campus size compared to many other Canadian universities.
“I wanted to come and take a tour and look around,” said the 29-year-old.
“I’ve done (navigation) before and I’m kind of good at it. I spent a semester at sea and I learned how to use charts.”
College executive director Brian LeBlanc said he was pleased with Saturday’s turnout.
“It’s a hidden gem and quite often people may drive by it every day and not necessarily know what’s behind the guard house,” he said.
While Saturday’s event was for everyone, LeBlanc said a special invitation was extended to potential recruits.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to good tour and find out what they’re really applying for,” he said.
“Our recruitment drive never stops. We look for people who meet the academic requirements: the math, the physics and the chemistry if you’re going to be an engineer.”