DEADLINE TO APPLY: May 12, 2025
What you will gain
Veterans Affairs Canada employs Canadian students for approximately 4 months, 3 sessions a year. You will be working as a guide at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, both located in northern France.
Join us and you will get to:
• live and work in France
• develop your public speaking and presentation skills
• represent Canada as a youth ambassador
• meet visitors from around the world
• discover Canada’s rich military history
What you will do
As a student guide, you will be responsible to:
• give guided tours to groups on preserved battlefields and underground tunnels, in both official languages
• explain the Canadian military history and answer visitors’ questions on the sites, local attractions and points of interest in the region
NOTE:
• You will work in a natural outdoor setting and may encounter small wildlife, such as rabbits and sheep.
• You will at times give tours of the preserved underground tunnels, so you must be comfortable working in confined spaces for a short amount of time.
Duration: Fall 2025
Guides: August 11 to December 12, 2025
Returning guides: August 4 to December 12, 2025
There is a possibility of re-employment.
What we are looking for
• You are a post-secondary student.
• You meet the FSWEP eligibility criteria.
• You possess excellent public speaking skills.
• You are fluent in both official languages (English and French).
NOTE: This means that you are able to provide detailed descriptions on various complex topics, summarize a discussion, and express as well as support your opinions in your second official language.
If you love history and would like to explore the possibility of this unique opportunity, submit your application.
Please ensure that your answer to the question “What is your working ability in Canada’s official languages?” is: Bilingual - English and French.
Veterans Affairs Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to self-identify in your application if you belong to an Employment Equity group.
At every step, from the application process to the end of the assessment process, accommodation measures or adjustments are available to you.
Tell us what you need. Examples include accessible environments, different formats, larger fonts, adaptive technology, extra time, individual testing, and more.
Accommodation measures are designed to remove barriers to a fair assessment and allow candidates to fully demonstrate their competencies.
To request accommodation measures or adjustments, and for any questions about the process or the position, please contact us at vac.guideprogram-programmeguides.acc@veterans.gc.ca
Conditions of Employment
Successful students must provide copies of the following documents prior to the employment start date:
• Valid First Aid Certificate
• Valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate (CPR)
• Valid Canadian driver's license with no restrictions related to a Graduated Driver Licensing program and/or a valid international driving permit
• Valid documentation, including a passport, for travelling to and working in France
• Confirmation of current full-time student status in a recognized post-secondary institution (with Registrar's seal) and a signed attestation confirming the intent to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year
• Valid work visa for France
Successful students must also be willing and able to:
• wear and maintain a uniform
• work variable schedules (shift work, weekends, statutory holidays and overtime)
• operate a government vehicle in Europe, with passengers, as required
• stand and walk over uneven terrain for a long period of time, in various weather conditions
Additional information
You are strongly advised to consider all necessary medical arrangements and ensure proper and adequate health insurance prior to departing for France.
Living arrangements and expenses
• If you choose to live in the housing subsidized by Veterans Affairs Canada, you must sign a Rental Agreement and agree to have the monthly rental sum of approximately $300 deducted from your pay on a monthly basis (approximately $150 per cheque).
• All successful students must arrange and pay for their own travel, including all other related costs.
• Upon successful completion of the work assignment and a satisfactory evaluation, you may be eligible for a partial reimbursement of your actual airfare costs (up to CDN $1000.00).
DEADLINE TO APPLY: May 12, 2025
