Promotion Applications

Adult Staff
1

I’m still testing and adjusting how we handle promotions and I’ve finally gotten around to putting together an application form.
I think it’s important to give them a chance to declare their interest and highlight their achievements, just so there’s an extra safeguard against overlooking someone.

It also helps collate all the relevant info in one place. And obviously, answer a couple of questions…

Crowdsourcing a bit, but what questions would you ask? What’s important to you?

I’m being increasingly clear that what I’m looking for at cdt cpl rank is:

  1. Excellent role model (drill, dress, discip)
  2. Leading Cadet (showing a firm understanding of the basics of the syllabus)

Secondary is breadth of experience / getting off sqn / achieving in areas of interest etc (things that might not be achievable due to course availability etc).

In terms of process afterwards, I may interview. I’ll likely repeat a short test paper covering basics and perhaps a safeguarding-related question. It was useful for identifying gaps in understanding last time.

Grateful for thoughts from the hive mind!

2

We’ve done: CV and Application Letter. Same as any external job, but obviously the letter should be relevant to the RAFAC and promotion they want.

This is to improve their skills as there isn’t anything taught in schools, so its to try and give them a heads up.

Applications depending on number are sifted by the Sqn Execs.

There is a promotion board weekend set up, leadership tasks, sometimes a 10min lesson delivery (for SNCO), and an interview with 3 board members as Sqn OC as president. The interviews are on the Sunday, cadets turn up and wait in the hall for their alloted time, we have a Staff cadet there to keep an eye, settle them in and bring them to the room.

Some say it’s extreme, but I say its fair with the advantage of introducing employability skills at an earlier age so they can ace applications in the future.

1 Like
3

This is the form I ask interested people to complete for Cpl:

Application for Promotion to Corporal 24-25

This form is designed to support current cadets to show they are interested in being promoted to Corporal. Application DOES NOT guarantee any promotion. Please refer to the following guidelines when completing this form:

To be considered for promotion you should have the following:

· Leading Cadet.

· Minimum age 14

· Attended at least one week-long RAF Camp or equivalent.

· Passed a Wing JNCO course.

· Regularly represent the squadron at community events such as Open Day, BoB Parade, Presentation Evenings.

· Active in The DofE Award (preferably a Bronze Award Holder).

· Competency in taking Flight drill.

· Ability to do some basic classroom training for Junior and First Class Cadet.

· A minimum of a 70% attendance record over the past year.

· Attended at least 2 fund raising events in the past year.

Hi, . When you submit this form, the owner will see your name and email address.

Required

1.Full name

2.Date of application

Please input date (dd/MM/yyyy)

3.What classification are you currently?

Second Class

First Class

Leading

Senior

Master

4.What date did you join cadets?

Please input date (dd/MM/yyyy)

5.What camps have you attended? This can be any camp, not just squadron run activities.

6.What DofE Level do you currently hold? (tick all that apply)

Hold Bronze Award

Hold Silver Award

Hold Gold Award

Working Towards Bronze Award

Working Towards Silver Award

Working Towards Gold Award

7.Which fundraising events have you attended for the squadron over the past year? Please list all that apply, including dates.

8.Which community events have you attended over the past 12 months? Please list all of them (including dates)

9.Why would you make a good NCO?

10.Why should we promote you?

1 Like
4

Do you not find this potentially penalises someone with the fact they can join at 12.

For example in one of our intake we had an individual whose birthday was 30th Aug - so aged 12 and about 2 weeks when they joined, and their best mate at school who was born 16th September - so turned 13 the week they joined. In the same year at school but for Age 14 one would be able to apply a year after joining, the other would have to wait 2 years.

For us, we choose to have the requirement as minimum 12 months in the previous rank

5

No, because frankly I’m never going to make a 12 or 13 year old a corporal anyway. These are guidelines, not hard and fast criteria, and it sets a standard that people should aspire to. For lots of reasons it isn’t always practical to stick to them 100%, but it gives people time to just get experience before obsessing over a promotion that for the vast majority of people never happens.

Also I don’t think your example of ages works there. If one is born before the start of september and one after, they can’t be in the same school year I don’t think.

2 Likes
6

It’s always going to come down on the OCs leadership style & the philosophy they want their NCOs to follow or what they expect their cpls to do.

I would avoid asking for loads of data that already on bader such as dates etc.

Questions we ask ours

  • what they consider their main achievements to be (which gives you an insight into what they are proudest of)
  • what are their future goals within the ATC
  • what are their reason for apply I.e. why
  • what do they expect the role of Cpl to involve
  • what would challenges would they experience & how would the accomplish them.

The other main thing to make sure is how the application fits into the rest of the recruitment process. So is it purely application or does it lead into an interview?

If the later, then what you want the application form to able to be used for probing information at interview particular of you have a cadet struggling.

I would also advise keep the application form for Cpl short - two sides of A4 total. Otherwise it’s likely to put off some of the more pragmatic ones & you miss out on some of those with greater potential.

1 Like
7

If you set a criteria of leading cadet & 18mths service it naturally defaults to this anyway which allows the wriggle room. Having said that you want the cadets to enjoy being cadets rather than feeling it’s a sausage factory through the ranks.

A little restriction is a good way to encourage them to get that cadet experience first as well as ensuring they have the emotional maturity to handle potential rejection.

8

This is important. They have until they are 18, possibly 20, to achieve all the ranks. And most will top out at FS. Becoming Cpl extremely early isn’t always a good thing. Enjoy the time as a cadet, before taking on responsibility. And staff should encourage that.

9

I’m in 100% agreement there - I don’t think people should rush through the ranks, I think quite often they are, which is why we have the minimum time in previous rank so they don’t rush through. The Sqn down the road from us a cadet went from Cdt to CWO in 3 years - and that’s not good for anyone.

That example is an example of two cadets on my Squadron - they are in the same year at School (both Year 8), so that’s where I struggle with an age restriction. Good that it’s flexible if the cadets know that it’s flexible - which will all depend on advertisement etc.

10

Has an OC Wing who tried (unsuccessfully) to implement minimum standards at each promotion level, lasted about 6 months before it fell over.

Cpl - minimum Bronze DofE, passed JNCO Course, been on a week camp, etc, etc.
Sgt - minimum Silver DofE, passed SNCO Course, been on several week camps, etc.
FS - doing Gold DofE, etc.

In an ideal world, possibly, but not every squadron lives in an ideal world!!!

11

Every Sqn is different & every CO is different which when you put a top down criteria just creates blockers as there’s no tailoring to local circumstances or changing society.

A baseline of 18mths service & leading cadet tends to work as the bear minimum knowledge for application stage although I would expect a Cpl to have at least one bronze badge.

12

One we like to do is shadowing a JNCO, depending on applicants you might do that for 1 or 2 nights of your top 3-5, dependent on how many CPL’s you are looking at. You can then get peer reviews from the Cpl’s they have been shadowing etc.

1 Like
13

ACP 20 make it abundantly clear it’s up to the Sqn Commander. It makes no sense for OC Wings to be getting involved. Each unit is different. OC Wing giving some guidelines, sure. But they shouldn’t have their own minimum criteria.

1 Like
14

We get quite a few joining at 16. Waiting 18 months for their first promotion doesn’t leave much time before they age out.

1 Like
15

That’s why it should always be left to the Sqn cdrs so they can vary it to individual circumstances.

1 Like
16

I had (one of) my DepOCW try to implement Courses at each rank, 3-stage CWO interviews, and some other Naff

did also remove Sector FS interviews which did me well, shame it all got repealed

17

We went through a phase of sector commanders wanting to do NCO interviews but they soon dropped it.

18

If they have the time to be going around doing JNCO interview at all their units then they clearly have far too much free time, and I really question what they are actually doing!

1 Like
19

I can see the point of a bit of standardisation, as some units were promoting very quickly and others hardly at all.

1 Like