Post 94 contracts

[Truck Driver]

Not if they fill the Sgts vacancies. That would increase the number of vacancies to 143, leaving space for 80 ptes.

Army ptes may be 63 over establishment but there are 170 vacancies for army NCOs

Well spotted

[hptmurphy]

And when they all move on , where will they go?

Shock Horror, most of them become unemployable...

I've been sitting on interview boards for relatively low grade entry positions into the HSE over the past few weeks and have interviewed retiring or retiree soldiers as potential candidates.

Big system failure here.

The people involved don't even have basic interview technique skills, never mind the skill set which is quite achievable if a guy knows he is going out and needs a new skill set.

Without fear of contradiction the army is doing nothing aka SWFA to help re integrate their people into the work force. Interview panels work to a fixed criteria, its not rocket science, but these guys are totally without a clue how to prepare and perform at interview.

If they were prepped right they would have an above average chance of getting a job on exit, as it stands, most of them don't even reach the acceptable standard.

Its not me being biased, I'm working from a very structured standard from which if some one was to ask how to maximise a candidates performance the information is there to be had and a lot of guys could look forward to second careers on exit.

Speak to the peeps please..help us to help them!

[DeV]

And when they all move on , where will they go?

Shock Horror, most of them become unemployable...

I've been sitting on interview boards for relatively low grade entry positions into the HSE over the past few weeks and have interviewed retiring or retiree soldiers as potential candidates.

Big system failure here.

The people involved don't even have basic interview technique skills, never mind the skill set which is quite achievable if a guy knows he is going out and needs a new skill set.

Without fear of contradiction the army is doing nothing aka SWFA to help re integrate their people into the work force. Interview panels work to a fixed criteria, its not rocket science, but these guys are totally without a clue how to prepare and perform at interview.

If they were prepped right they would have an above average chance of getting a job on exit, as it stands, most of them don't even reach the acceptable standard.

Its not me being biased, I'm working from a very structured standard from which if some one was to ask how to maximise a candidates performance the information is there to be had and a lot of guys could look forward to second careers on exit.

Speak to the peeps please..help us to help them!

They should all do a pre-retirement course and some kind of getting a job course (eg interview skillsz, setting up your own business etc).

However, in fairness to your interviewees they were part of an organisation that indoctrinated them. If they wanted to know something they knew where to find it (eg x manual) and part of a good interview is practice.

[hptmurphy]

They should all do a pre-retirement course and some kind of getting a job course (eg interview skillsz, setting up your own business etc).

However, in fairness to your interviewees they were part of an organisation that indoctrinated them. If they wanted to know something they knew where to find it (eg x manual) and part of a good interview is practice.

IMHo Exit course should be mandatory and those offering them should be current in what the civilian employers are offering.
DF is failing its people badly

[Duffman]

Hang on, there's plenty of resources made available to retiring personnel there's also a multitude of courses that would be relevant and huge potential for upskilling eg. CAPS and ECDL cses refund of fees with study leave etc. What more can be done? Leading a horse to water and all that. Also this entitlement mentality is not and will not be seen in civvie street (someone who worked for 20+ years on a factory line is given a watch and a handshake on the way out the door). It's not the army's job to hand hold people into the darkness, the skills courses and opportunities made available to the average soldier far outweigh that of his average Joe soap civvie counterpart. Who usually can expect no more help from the powers that be once they are past leaving cert..then it's up to them to forge their own way. Before anyone pipes up, no I am not suggesting that we don't appreciate someones service to their country.

[hptmurphy]

Hang on, there's plenty of resources made available to retiring personnel there's also a multitude of courses that would be relevant and huge potential for upskilling eg. CAPS and ECDL cses etc. What more can be done? Leading a horse to water and all that. Also this entitlement mentality is not and will not be seen in civvie street. It's not the army's job to hand hold people into the darkness the skills courses and opportunities made available to the average soldier far outweigh that of his average Joe soap civvie. Who usually can expect no more help once they are past leaving cert..then it's up to them to forge their own way. Before anyone pipes up no I am not suggesting that we don't appreciate someones service to their country.

After x amount of years service , people become somewhat disconnected about job and interview skills.Its not about entitlement or anything like it, but if we want people to leave the DF at least ensure they have the skill set to get another job and not become a burden on the state.

Traditionally they fell into roles around security etc. Even those jobs are hard fought over and you need a certain skill set to slot in

Its shouldn't be too hard to identify people who will go on their ticket twelve months before hand and put a program in place to ease them out.

ECDL is a very base qualification but if you add to a healthcare qualification plus a PSA qualification you suddenly have someone who has multiple qualifications and with some work around interview skills, becomes an attractive potential employee.

[DeV]

I agree with both of you

[na grohmiti]

For some years now the NS has been getting all promotions courses accredited with HETAC (Now QQI) so at least on leaving the DF, they have a piece of paper from an institute of technology, which translates well into civvy life.
I'm surprised the Army are not doing similar.

[Fridge Magnet]

Hang on, there's plenty of resources made available to retiring personnel there's also a multitude of courses that would be relevant and huge potential for upskilling eg. CAPS and ECDL cses etc. What more can be done? Leading a horse to water and all that. Also this entitlement mentality is not and will not be seen in civvie street. It's not the army's job to hand hold people into the darkness the skills courses and opportunities made available to the average soldier far outweigh that of his average Joe soap civvie. Who usually can expect no more help once they are past leaving cert..then it's up to them to forge their own way. Before anyone pipes up no I am not suggesting that we don't appreciate someones service to their country.

Leading a horse to water? Entitlement mentality? Hand hold people into the darkness? Give it a rest. An ECDL Cse is a pretty bog standard qualification and yet is like gold dust for troops, certainly those in the big Units. Please don't try paint a picture like troops have the world at their feet, it's simply not true.

You're talking about people who have worked in a single job for a minimum of 21 years, who are used to a very certain way of doing things and a work environment which is more than a little bit unorthodox.

The DF has a duty of care to it's troops, upto and including ensuring that their troops are ready for the transition to civilian life.

[hptmurphy]

The DF has a duty of care to it's troops, upto and including ensuring that their troops are ready for the transition to civilian life.

And back to where I started, they have failed in this regard based on the people I have interviewed in past few weeks.

[Fridge Magnet]

For some years now the NS has been getting all promotions courses accredited with HETAC (Now QQI) so at least on leaving the DF, they have a piece of paper from an institute of technology, which translates well into civvy life.
I'm surprised the Army are not doing similar.

The Army is doing something similar, a soldier finishing a PNCO Cse will recieve a Higher Cert in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies. Theres higher qualifications for Standard, Senior NCO Cse and so on.

[DeV]

For some years now the NS has been getting all promotions courses accredited with HETAC (Now QQI) so at least on leaving the DF, they have a piece of paper from an institute of technology, which translates well into civvy life.
I'm surprised the Army are not doing similar.

They have been through Carlow IT, DIT and Maynooth, difference is your DCFF and Sea Survival Cse is required by industry.... Being a 81 instructor isn't

[jack08]

Why,
Just to be devils advocate, why does the military have to provide a way for soldiers/Offrs transition to other employment. what other organisation does this?
Do PWC do this, does Intel do this? If you work in any job for 21 years then I'm fairly sure that you are fairly used to doing things in certain ways. As an organisation why does it have to provide third level certs for training courses. what is the organisational goal in doing this.

[DeV]

It's what other militaries do
It improves serving personnel education and training
It reduces the chances of dole payments having to be made to them
The DF should be issuing a P45 at a relatively young age

[Barry]

Why,
Just to be devils advocate, why does the military have to provide a way for soldiers/Offrs transition to other employment. what other organisation does this?
Do PWC do this, does Intel do this? If you work in any job for 21 years then I'm fairly sure that you are fairly used to doing things in certain ways. As an organisation why does it have to provide third level certs for training courses. what is the organisational goal in doing this.

PWC and Intel don't boot you out for not getting promoted in a certain amount of time, so that's not exactly a fair comparison - and anyone who works for a half decent employer will probably be doing a course or two every year, or at least get some kind of support for doing something. Lots of employers send their employees on courses - usually on something that's useful for the employer, but why not make it a win-win situation if it's possible? Making a PNCO course have some civvy value doesn't cost the army a lot, but it helps out people when they leave the army (and you will have to eventually leave the army......), and might just keep them off the dole.