A class of young people who have just completed the Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program say most of them are planning to enlist in the forces full time.

Nineteen students from seven provinces and the Northwest Territories graduated Friday from the three-week Canadian Forces recruiting program in Halifax.

"Pretty proud of myself, actually. I thought about leaving but I was like, no, I can do this. Yeah, it was pretty fun," said Jose Jean Junior Calahasen-La Pierre from Chetwynd, B.C.

Sampling military life

The program allowed participants to sample military life, including living in barracks, doing physical training, and learning things such as basic weapons training, boating skills, and emergency simulations.

Adam John Riopel is a member of the Sto:lo First Nation who travelled to the Halifax course from his home in the Ottawa Valley. He said his favourite part of the course was the "danger school."

"It was a fire simulation, and in the afternoon we were jumping in very cold water, trying to plug holes in a simulated ship. That was probably the funnest because you have to really work as a team," he said.

Graduates come from 7 provinces and NWT. Many say they intend to go on to military immediately. <a href="https://t.co/6sv3MscKFD">pic.twitter.com/6sv3MscKFD</a> —@shainaluck

Plans to enlist

Seventeen out of this year's 19 graduates say they intend to enlist. Many, like Monica Boudreau of Bathurst, N.B., were thinking about the move for some time and say the course helped them make up their minds.

The family is amazing. I will never forget this course. - Monica Boudreau

Boudreau will enter basic training in September.

"To see everyone come along and to see everyone on the same path and just cheering everybody. That was the biggest thing. The family is amazing. I will never forget this course," she said.

High success rate

The lead instructor for the course said the program has had a high success rate at recruiting in Indigenous communities.

"I think it's very important because some of the communities, they don't always have the same opportunities as people who live closer to a big city," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Michel Maisonneuve.

Canadian Forces recruiters visit Indigenous communities to encourage young people to apply for the program.

Participants are paid during the course, but at the end they have no obligation to join the military.