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Overview

As a member of the military, Postal Clerks provide a full range of postal services to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families at CAF bases and establishments.

The primary responsibilities of the Postal Clerk are to:

• Perform all mail handling duties related to the receipt, dispatch and delivery of mail
• Operate a postal tracing service
• Maintain the security of mail and of post office premises as well as the security of cash, postal valuables and sensitive equipment
• Prepare and distribute bills of lading for international and domestic mail dispatched by road, rail, sea and air
• Operate a postal financial counter in accordance with Canada Post regulations and directives
• Conduct financial accounting and audit duties at military post offices
• Type routine correspondence, forms and documents
• Operate office equipment including calculators, photocopiers, computers and postage meters

Work environment

Postal Clerks serve with the Royal Canadian Navy, the Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada and abroad. They typically work in a postal office, but may also be on a ship at sea, in a temporary postal office in an operational unit, or a mobile postal van.

If you choose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility regarding postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part-time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Entry plans

• Direct Entry Options
  
  

No previous work experience or career-related skills are required. CAF recruiters can help you decide if your personal interests and attributes match the criteria for this occupation.

The minimum required education to apply for this occupation is the completion of the provincial requirements for Grade 10 or Secondary 4 in Quebec. Foreign education may be accepted.

Training

The first stage of training is the Basic Military Qualification course, or Basic Training, held at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. A goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits maintain the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) physical fitness standard; as a result, the training is physically demanding.

Postal Clerks complete six weeks of training related to postal services in the military setting in Trenton, Ontario. Topics include:

• Receipt, handling, sorting, redirecting, delivering and dispatching of all classes of mail
• Safeguarding mail, recognizing and reporting mail irregularities
• Interpretation of postal Law and Regulations

Postal Clerks may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training, including:

• Financial Accounting and Audit
• Instructional Techniques

As they progress in their career, Postal Clerks who demonstrate the required ability and potential will be offered advanced training. Available courses include:

• Personnel Management
• Postal Administration

Related Civilian Occupations

• Mail Clerk
• Mail Sorter