Looking for some honest advice (LONG POST)

Greetings all, i have been scouring the web for info on trucking and more specifically trucking in Canada and thankfully came across this great webpage. I'd like to appeal to you folks for some advice and feedback regarding my future plans in Canada and in the trucking industry, but first i will introduce myself and give you some background on my situation.. Apologies in advance if its a long read! I promise to try and keep it short!

Well i was born in Singapore to a British-Canadian father and a Singaporean mother, however after i was born we went back to living in Toronto, and then Bahrain and Taiwan before settling in Singapore when i was 6. As such, I was educated here all my life (I am 22 this month) but we go back to Canada to visit the gramps and some aunts n uncles every other Christmas so Canada is not so alien to me. Now since i was born in Singapore, i had to serve my National Service(NS) -conscription into either the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Armed Forces or Civil Defence for 2 years. I am currently serving my time in the police and am working hard for peanuts, though i enjoy my job due to the people i work with. Since young i have always intended to move to Canada after my NS as i am in love with the country, the people are friendly and nature is everywhere! Singapore is an urban jungle with just too many people (you'd understand if you've been!) and the cost of living/competitiveness is just too much for me.

Well last year both my grandparents passed on and my mum decided to sell our house here and buy out their home, we couldnt bear to see it sold to settle the estate. Because of this, my mum, younger brother and I will be moving into it after we complete our NS in march 2013. My dream has always been to be a pilot like my father, and my plan was to apply to a flying college anywhere near Toronto to get me on track. However i will only be applying to them once we settle down and because of this i figure i will only be accepted and start sometime during Sept 2014. During the wait i am NOT keen on working a job in which i will not gain a skill-set to fall back on should i be unable to find a job as a pilot (ie: unwilling to leave the country in pursuit of money to be made elsewhere). I was considering taking up trucking as it has always appealed to me -the open road, driving a truck has similar responsibility to flying a plane in my mind, etc. etc. I am aware it is not as easy as it sounds and there are lots of negatives in addition to the positives but the way i see it, its an honest job for an honest man and that appeals to me the most.

Now i came across the post with regards to working in the Alberta oil sands and came up with the idea of heading down there and getting myself a job driving a truck for at least a year, and if i'm into it maybe even longer. As to why the oilsands, from what i've read they are willing to give people with no experience but a good attitude a chance (HUGE opportunity right there to gain experience/knowledge at a subsidised rate or in some cases free ), the pay seems #### good (looking to save for my future family). Yes i understand the hours will be long hard and tough, but i'm willing to work hard and learn fast -I take pride in my work and am very passionate in everything i do. With regards to being away from my family, my parents have been separated for quite a number of years and my mum is now very independent, i have no friends in Canada and my relatives there( only have paternal relatives in CA) avoid us due to them supporting my dads cause.. In other words i have nothing to lose being away from home for a long period, i truly see the opportunity here to make something from nothing.. and to save up enough to be comfortable in the future.. and i DO NOT want to let it slip by.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS: IS this is a sound plan?

I am aware there are holes in it already which is why i need your advice/criticism:

1) I have no experience driving a truck (unless driving em in my dreams count!) other than some caged police buses. I drive police fast response vehicles on a daily basis though.

2) I will probably have to retake my licence when i move to Canada as from what i have read will be unable to convert it.. will i be able to apply to learn to drive trucks upon receiving my Canadian licence or must i wait for a year? i have been driving cars for over three years now.

3) Should i immediately dump most of my savings on a driving school to obtain my Class 1 before heading out to Alberta and applying for jobs in person? I am worried not having this will greatly affect my chances of getting a driving job there.

4) My resume consists of my Certificate of Service from my stint in NS and will most likely be an 'A' Grade as i work ###### hard, and was/am one of the best officers in my intake. (Hope this doesn't jinx that). Will this get my anywhere? SPF is ranked as one of the best forces in the world so i really hope it does help me in some way. Other than that i have nothing else to add to it.

5) Before i came across the Alberta Oil Sands post it was already set in my mind that i would find a way to become a trucker during my 'downtime' before college.. The relatively low pay of being a new driver on the road (meaning not an Oil Patch job) did not affect this decision as my intention of trucking in the first place was to pursue another passion and have an adventure while gaining a skill-set in the process. This oil patch job is an opportunity for me to learn at an accelerated rate and ideally make more money.

Thank you for your time in reading this.. I am aware it probably has TOO much information, but I am in great need of advice as no one in my family has trucked before, nor do i have any contacts in Canada as I said above, I am pretty much on my own. Anything would be appreciated!! Have a great day