A Selection Board (SB) is a formal interview process that 242 RCACC runs twice a year to identify cadets ready for promotion and senior leadership appointments. If you are a senior cadet thinking about taking on more responsibility next training year, or you have been told you are eligible to apply, this page explains what the process looks like, what you need to submit, and what to expect on interview day.
Selection Boards happen twice each training year. The January board fills appointment changes for the current year. The May board (usually the Victoria Day long weekend) fills appointments for the upcoming training year. Even if you do not get the appointment you want, the interview itself is excellent practice for university admissions, scholarships, and job interviews after high school.
The process
- Identification of needs. The Commanding Officer and Training Officer decide which appointments will be available for the next cycle.
- Notification. The list of available appointments and the SB dates are published through CADET365 broadcasts, parade announcements, and email – usually about four weeks before the application deadline.
- Application. You submit your application package by the deadline. Details are in the next section.
- Review and interview. The board reviews your application and interviews you. Interviews are required for all Warrant Officer and Master Warrant Officer tier applicants. Promotion to Sergeant does not require an interview unless you are also applying for a Sergeant-tier appointment.
- Selection and notification. The board scores applicants and builds the Rank Eligibility List (REL – the list of cadets who passed the board and are eligible for an appointment at that rank). The Commanding Officer selects from that list and notifies cadets individually. Final appointments are then announced to the corps.
What you need to apply
You will submit three things by the application deadline, either by email to the address given in the cycle announcement or in person to the Selection Board Chairperson:
- Cover letter. Describe how you meet the requirements for the rank and appointment(s) you are applying for. If you are applying for more than one appointment, list your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices.
- Résumé. Cover your relevant experience and accomplishments, including part-time or full-time jobs and volunteer work.
- Supporting documents. Letters of reference from employers or volunteer leaders, copies of certificates, commendations, or anything else that backs up your application.
If you currently hold an appointment, note that you must re-apply for it. Holding a position this year does not carry it forward into next year automatically.
What the interview is like
Your interview will be 25 minutes total: 5 minutes for the board to review your application, 15 minutes of questions, and 5 minutes for the board to score and discuss. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time.
You will be asked five standardized questions, one in each of these areas:
- The structure or routine of 242 RCACC.
- How you would respond to a hypothetical leadership scenario.
- What you are most proud of as a cadet at 242 Fredericton.
- One thing you would change about 242, and why.
- If awarded the appointment you want, what your goals would be in that role.
Uniform inspection happens after the interview, not before. This is deliberate – it keeps any concerns about dress from affecting your confidence during the interview itself.
How decisions are made
The board scores you on your application package, your interview answers, and your punctuality, dress, and deportment. Cadets who reach a minimum overall score of 50% (“Capable”) are placed on the Rank Eligibility List for that rank.
Once the REL is finalized, the Commanding Officer reviews it and selects cadets from the list for specific leadership appointments. The CO weighs your strengths, your fit for the role, and the needs of the corps. Being on the REL means you have qualified for promotion at that rank; being selected for a specific appointment is a separate decision made by the CO. You will be notified individually of both your REL placement and any appointment you have been selected for.
Track overviews
Senior cadet leadership at 242 is organized into five tracks. Each track has its own progression of responsibilities, the skills it builds, the kind of cadet it tends to suit, and the courses it expects you to have completed. The summaries below give you the shape of each track. Download the full guide for any track you are considering to see the tier-by-tier breakdown.
Supply
The Supply track is the team that makes sure cadets have what they need to train. Uniforms get sized, ordered, issued, and returned; training equipment gets pulled before lessons and put back after; inventory gets counted and paperwork follows every item in and out. The further up the track you go, the less the work involves carrying boxes and the more it involves running the system.
Administration
The Administration track keeps the corps running on paper. Attendance, Routine Orders, permission forms, Fortress records, schedules, and rosters all live here, and the chain of command relies on Admin to know who is in, who is out, and who has signed what. Higher tiers move from filling forms in to drafting and reviewing them and making sure the whole paperwork system actually works.
Training
The Training track is the team that delivers the cadet program. Lessons and specialist activities like drill, marksmanship, fitness, expedition, and music get planned, taught, and assessed by cadets who hold the qualifications to lead them. Higher up the track, the work shifts from standing in front of a class to planning the schedule, coaching the instructor team, and keeping the program consistent.
Standards
The Standards track watches the training and reports on how it is going. Instructors get observed during lessons, assessments get reviewed for fairness, pass and fail patterns get tracked, and professional development for the instructor team is organized and delivered. Where Training delivers the program, Standards quality-assures it.
Parade Command
The Parade Command track runs the cadets through every parade night. Section commanders prepare their sections for inspection, platoons form up under the warrant officers, and the whole parade falls in under the Company Sergeant Major. The work happens at the parade-night level – inspections, drill, attendance, and the daily discipline and morale of every cadet on the floor.
Current cycle dates
Specific dates and deadlines for the current Selection Board cycle are announced through CADET365 broadcasts, email, and parade announcements. For full details on the next board, including appointments available and application deadlines, see the current cycle Sway: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/YAmBVKj1EzJ4lL3g.
Questions?
If you have any questions, contact the Selection Board Chairperson, 2Lt Brennan Beal.