Yeah, had a look there and seems to be a made up local requirement… in fairness I don’t know if it’s happened since ACTO 10 came in with the clearer approval process.
We could make more use of university students as a resource. We are hampered because we can only take existing (staff) Cadets - with 20+ undergrads typically being in their final year so maybe not too practical for them to start as staff.
As it is now compulsory to mention the scouts in these threads, they have university scouting support units which link willing students to local units.
I’m sure there are practical details to work round but there are lots of students out there.
I’ve made the suggestion to my wing about UAS students.
Yes, there’s only a thousand of them, yes they’re concentrated at 12 units, but they’re a pro-RAF group, probably 50% ex cadets, and will bombburst all over the country at every holiday and have a fair bit of time on their hands. And they could come in as SIs.
Would be a great way of getting more people thinking about being staff.
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Apparently our regs don’t allow them to act as SIs. The ACF regs do allow that, and although most of their student helpers are OTC I’m sure some are UAS.
A sensible first step would be to allow OTC and UAS members SI status - after all they have attested.
I thought that they could but that they had to be 20+
I don’t think it’s quite so rosy.
The uni holidays are mainly at Christmas, Easter and over the summer, there maybe ‘reading weeks’, during which they maybe at home with families chilling or doing other things. Christmas we are shutdown and over the summer many will be away and a lot of sqns (like us) go to one night a week from middle of July to the beginning of Sep as staff have lives too.
Our kids didn’t do uni, but some of nieces and nephews and our kid’s mates did and when they were home, they were out with mates and family. I wouldn’t expect anything different.
WRT to a lot our older cadets they get to the end of Y12 early Y13 period and start to drop off as they begin to realise the seriousness of the 2 years RPA and the consequences of messing it up. Plus what is in the Air Cadets for them by this point except being or expected to be like staff. When you are 17 you want more excitement than that. Don’t you? I like to think they’ve seen through the tissue of lies. Those that do stay are under no illusion from me of it being roses and blue skies.
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Right, ok, it won’t work for some so let’s ignore the idea completely.
Sums you up, that.
As we go into the first weekend of the recruitment campaign. Anyone had any interest so far?
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22 interested persons.
I’m going to assume you mean cadets and not CFAVs?
2 adults have responded to a “Cadet Instructor” Job posted to my Sqn Facebook page and shared to local community groups.
Coming a bit late to the debate here, I’m at a CCF Unit where we are expanding almost too rapidly (all voluntary- cadet and CFAV’s).
Do the numbers shown earlier reflect the CCF Sections as well?
The CEP is going great guns but might have the consequence of dragging cadets way from ATC Units?
Re CI/Uniform - isn’t that how the military is run at the moment? I don’t have a CI but am not sure of the issues, where would rank come into all this - we do the job for the Cadets anyway, if you need to order someone to do something then they’re in the wrong place…
Re advertising for CFAV’s - needs to include what they can get out of it as well (it’s not all about the Cadets after all, otherwise we possibly wouldn’t do it), leadership skills, developing personal strength, friendships, experiences etc, etc. I always tell potential teachers that it’s a great way to develop classroom presence and leadership and I am sure this would apply in most industries.
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You’ve had 22 adults get in contact interested in volunteering at your Sqn?
In the past 3 months. Most have been sent to other sqns closer.
We’ve had a lot of interest form cadets as well. Absolutely shocked.
What’s your secret?
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We haven’t done any recruitment. So no idea.
Geography then?
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