Naval Division Conducts Physical Fitness, Aptitude Tests For Recruits

NAVY SPOKESPERSON LIEUTENANT COMMANDER TIMOCI NATUVA SAID THEY RECEIVED BETWEEN 800 TO 900 APPLICATIONS EARLY THIS MONTH AND HAD BEEN GIVEN CLEARANCE TO RECRUIT 60 PERSONNEL.

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division conducted physical fitness and aptitude tests yesterday for shortlisted applicants in its latest recruitment drive.

Navy spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Timoci Natuva said they received between 800 to 900 applications early this month and had been given clearance to recruit 60 personnel.

The new recruits will fill specialised positions such as group six drivers, chefs, marine engineers, electrical engineers, electronic technicians and musicians for a newly formed Fijian Navy brass band.

Lieutenant Commander Natuva said the recruitment was dependent on the need to fill gaps left by Navy officers who had retired. “Now people are retiring and the turnover rate of retiring is quite high,” he said.

“With those people leaving, they leave with years of experience and we need to replace that experience so we are targeting certain groups.

“People who joined in 1987 are all phasing out slowly and in a year, we can have five or six people with experience and that is why we are doing recruitment now.

“We did one (recruitment) last year and before that our last recruitment was in 2011. “It depends on the vacancies that are available and also now we are having new ships that are coming in.”

He said the capabilities and capacity needed on board their new vessels were a different makeup altogether.

“The response has been positive,” he said. “We interviewed a number of good potentials and now we are testing the physical aspects of training whether they can swim, whether they are confident and then we will finalise with the medical board early next week.”

Now people are retiring and the turnover rate of retiring is quite high. With those people leaving, they leave with years of experience and we need to replace that experience so we are targeting certain groups. Lieutenant Commander Timoci Natuva Navy spokesperson

Photo: Fonua Talei Shortlisted applicants for the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division undergo a physical fitness test at the Captain Stanley Brown Naval Base in Walu Bay on January 15, 2019.

Photo: Fonua Talei Shortlisted applicants for the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division undergo a physical fitness test at the Stanley Brown Naval Base in Walu Bay on January 15, 2019.