Struggle to recruit for NZDF trade schools
The New Zealand Defence Force’s trade cores have jumped on an opportunity to showcase skills they say are overlooked as critical parts of the military.
The annual three-day trade competition was held at Linton Military Camp from Tuesday and saw training schools each compete for their own trophies.
Various stands based on different scenarios were spread throughout the base and soldiers were made to undertake various tasks based on their skill set.
One of those was the catering school , whose mission was to create a VIP lunch and afternoon tea.
Catering trade advisor Warrant Officer Class 1 Rebecca Savage said it was always important to show others what they did.
Retention was an issue for the Defence Force (NZDF), and the trades in particular were struggling to recruit.
She said they were trying to fulfil the same outputs they were two years ago when staffing levels were higher, and the demand on soldiers was building.
Having a competition to show off what they could do alleviated some of that pressure.
She said the catering school allowed soldiers to work towards becoming a qualified chef, and they could travel the world doing what they loved.
Up for grabs for the winners of their cook-off was the Operational Catering Trophy. The winning team had to cook the best meal in a field environment, and also show competency in basic all-arms skills.
Across the other side of camp, Private Robert McMeeking, 21, dragged a body through the forest. The soldier, who was part of Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles, had to pull the wounded 80-90kg dummy more than 100 metres.
He then had to apply basic first aid to its wounds, before returning for a broken rifle he had to fix and rebuild.
After that, he had to find the rest of his squadron waiting at a rendezvous point a few hundred metres away.
The competition also included those in the logistics regiments, as well driver and movement operator of the year.
Soldiers from 2 Workshop Company found a cache of weapons and had to identify them, while others had to build an optical lens out of basic materials.
The skills showed the level of support each of the trades provided to the wider Defence Force.
Engineer and soldier Zeb Lennon-Voice, who was also judging the competition, said people understood very little about what his trade did. They were electronic technicians, and apart from building sights and spotting scopes, they also worked on robotics, communications and lenses.
Major Timothy Cocks, acting commanding officer of 2nd Combat Services Support Company, said the competition tested the base skills soldiers were required to have in their trades.
It allowed them to identify where improvement was needed, and it also promoted teamwork.
“Trade competitions highlight skillsets that are bespoke to logisticians and, as logisticians, we should celebrate excellence in our trades and promote these achievements within the Defence Force.”
Soldiers from the United States had also travelled to join the competition.
“This year, with the international competitors ... we get to pit our trade skills against our US Army partners – this, in turn, helps to build confidence as a trusted partner.”
He said gaining a trade qualification set a soldier up for life after the military.
The winning team was announced yesterday and taking out first place was 1 Combat Service Support, a squadron in 1 Brigade.
Second place went to 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion (3CSSB), and third place was scooped by the American’s 325th Brigade Support Battalion.