Need for army recruits drops

‘‘It’s really fun for them, it’s a real taste for them, but the work starts in their classwork.’’ Queen Elizabeth College service academy director Lance Tahiwi

The number of soldiers leaving the army is at a historic low, making it harder for school leavers to join.

It’s no longer a backup career choice for students struggling at school, says a Palmerston North man who prepares teenagers for a possible life in the military.

‘‘They are just taking the cream of the crop,’’ Queen Elizabeth College service academy director Lance Tahiwi said.

‘‘The reality is whoever has the best results, they will take them, and they don’t have many positions left to fill.’’

Morale in the Defence Force has bounced back since a restructure in 2011. On top of 212 redundancies back then, 685 people left the service voluntarily between August 2011 and January 2012.

But, now, Defence Force personnel are more likely to stay in the service.

Figures released under the Official Information Act show only 360 new soldiers were needed for the army in 2016, and 60 officers. This is about 200 soldiers fewer than the number needed in 2012, and four fewer officers.

A Defence Force spokesman said attrition levels were at a historic low, so fewer recruits were needed.

Tahiwi said this had resulted in the bar being raised for those wanting to leave school and join the Defence Force.

Students are encouraged to get NCEA level two or above in mathematics, English and science.

‘‘You have to make the effort, because it’s competitive.’’

Tahiwi said some people got to the NCEA part of the application process and realised they didn’t have the relevant credits.

They had to stay at school and get what was needed to reapply.

The academy programme was a good taste of military life for students thinking about going into a career with the Defence Force.

‘‘It’s really fun for them, it’s a real taste for them, but the work starts in their classwork.’’

The total number of fulltime regular soldiers has also steadily risen, from 4253 personnel in 2013 to 4514 in 2017.

The navy was also seeking fewer recruits. Only 143 recruits were needed in 2016, a drop from the 257 needed in 2012.

A Defence Force spokesman said the navy had been slowly increasing its numbers.

‘‘The increase . . . is being achieved by retaining current personnel and recruiting new sailors.

‘‘In recent years, attrition has been extremely low, which has resulted in decreases in the number of new sailors that need to be recruited.’’

By contrast, the air force needed the same number of recruits in 2016 as in 2012 – 160.