The ‘X’ Factor
- SELECTING TERRIFIC TRADES-PEOPLE
By FGOFF Anna Collard-Scruby, Woodbourne Base Psychologist
Part of a P-3 propeller
How do we select the best people to fill our technical trades? This was one of the questions that sparked a Psychology Research Project for me last year.
Recruiting Officers formerly used two written tests—the Electrical Information Test (R4) and the Mechanical Information Test (R5)—as part of the selection process. These tests were removed in 2007 after concerns were raised about their usefulness, and as yet we haven’t found a good replacement for them. So part of my mission was to find out what kind of test we might be able to use instead.
The process
Now, the most technical thing I’ve ever done is to set up my bed frame with a torque wrench—clearly, I needed some help to figure this out! So I went to the experts—I surveyed technical trades-people from all around the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Questionnaires were completed by 229 trades-people. Each person was asked to rate technical skills and abilities as either:
- must have before joining
- must have the potential to learn, or
- does not need.
Although the answers differed slightly between the nine trades surveyed, there were five main factors that emerged as essential skills that all potential trades-people needed before joining.
Additionally, trades-people volunteered tonnes of helpful comments and tips around what kinds of skills, interests, strengths and abilities we could look for in technical applicants for specific trades.
The results
In November 2009 the results were presented to the Recruiting Officers at their annual conference. The focus was on providing tools to spot ‘The X Factor’ in their technical applicants. This included interview questions related to previous technical experience that applicants had gained through school work, hobbies and projects.
Where to from here?
In the short term we are investigating the option of adjusting and reinstating the R4 and R5 tests. In the long term, we are keeping an eye on the progress of new tests being trialled by other organisations, and keeping an open mind about what sort of tests we could use, like practical tests.
There were a number of great suggestions made by survey respondents and Flight Commanders that I will be following up in future projects this year. So be assured, we psychologists are committed to finding the most useful selection tests for technical applicants.
Success X—Factors
The five factors that RNZAF trades-people deemed essential for technical applicants are:
- interest in learning trade theory and practice
- grasp of mechanical concepts and principles
- ability to manipulate small objects with fingers
- skilful co-ordination movements of hands and arms, and
- hand-eye co-ordination.