Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 6, 2006 20:34:17 GMT 12
I seem to recall there were a lot of choices out there when i was a kid leaving school too - many of them are gone now as well. Is this just blather?
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3887180a11,00.html
Recruitment battle for defence forces
04 December 2006
By MIKE STEERE
Air force recruitment director Squadron Leader Shaun Sexton says there are a lot more choices for school leavers. "It used to be you had your main universities; now there are dozens of different providers."
The Royal New Zealand Air Force says it is "doing well" despite failing to make recruitment targets every year since 2002.
Recruiters say a tough employment market is to blame for the recruit shortages, not the loss of its combat Skyhawk aircraft in 2002.
Figures released to The Press by the New Zealand Defence Force show the air force has failed to reach each of its annual recruitment targets since 2002.
In total, the force has recruited 777 of the projected 974 entrants since 2002.
Although recruitment targets had not been reached, total numbers in the force were still increasing, recruitment director Squadron Leader Shaun Sexton said.
The total number of air force employees had increased from 2684 in January to 2831 at the start of November.
The air force, like most other large organisations, finds recruitment difficult in today's employment market," Sexton said. "We do pretty well, but it is not easy."
Sexton said the proliferation of tertiary education options had led to the shortages.
"There are a lot more choices for school leavers. It used to be you had your main universities; now there are dozens of different providers," he said.
The most noticeable shortages were in specialised areas such as avionics technicians and engineers, Sexton said.
He did not think the 2001 government decision to scrap the Skyhawks had caused recruitment difficulties.
Despite having no combat arm, the air force would soon have "some of the most advanced craft" in the world, he said.
Plans were in place to upgrade the air force's Hercules and Orion aircraft, while new NH-90 helicopters had been bought, Sexton said.
Defence Minister Phil Goff said he was pleased with the recruitment performance.
He said the air force had an attrition rate of 8 per cent, which was the lowest of all of the armed forces.
Sexton was confident that new advertising campaigns to attract young New Zealanders into the force would be successful. He had received positive feedback about the RNZAF's recruitment website.
The figures released to The Press show the navy and army also experienced recruitment shortages in the past five years.
Both forces had failed to reach new recruit targets in all but one of the years.
Defence Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mike Shatford said the targets changed depending on attrition rates and changing of the organisational structure of the forces.
"We are not alone in facing the challenge of military recruitment. This is a global challenge," he said.
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3887180a11,00.html
Recruitment battle for defence forces
04 December 2006
By MIKE STEERE
Air force recruitment director Squadron Leader Shaun Sexton says there are a lot more choices for school leavers. "It used to be you had your main universities; now there are dozens of different providers."
The Royal New Zealand Air Force says it is "doing well" despite failing to make recruitment targets every year since 2002.
Recruiters say a tough employment market is to blame for the recruit shortages, not the loss of its combat Skyhawk aircraft in 2002.
Figures released to The Press by the New Zealand Defence Force show the air force has failed to reach each of its annual recruitment targets since 2002.
In total, the force has recruited 777 of the projected 974 entrants since 2002.
Although recruitment targets had not been reached, total numbers in the force were still increasing, recruitment director Squadron Leader Shaun Sexton said.
The total number of air force employees had increased from 2684 in January to 2831 at the start of November.
The air force, like most other large organisations, finds recruitment difficult in today's employment market," Sexton said. "We do pretty well, but it is not easy."
Sexton said the proliferation of tertiary education options had led to the shortages.
"There are a lot more choices for school leavers. It used to be you had your main universities; now there are dozens of different providers," he said.
The most noticeable shortages were in specialised areas such as avionics technicians and engineers, Sexton said.
He did not think the 2001 government decision to scrap the Skyhawks had caused recruitment difficulties.
Despite having no combat arm, the air force would soon have "some of the most advanced craft" in the world, he said.
Plans were in place to upgrade the air force's Hercules and Orion aircraft, while new NH-90 helicopters had been bought, Sexton said.
Defence Minister Phil Goff said he was pleased with the recruitment performance.
He said the air force had an attrition rate of 8 per cent, which was the lowest of all of the armed forces.
Sexton was confident that new advertising campaigns to attract young New Zealanders into the force would be successful. He had received positive feedback about the RNZAF's recruitment website.
The figures released to The Press show the navy and army also experienced recruitment shortages in the past five years.
Both forces had failed to reach new recruit targets in all but one of the years.
Defence Force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mike Shatford said the targets changed depending on attrition rates and changing of the organisational structure of the forces.
"We are not alone in facing the challenge of military recruitment. This is a global challenge," he said.
