Why so many AETs?

I've been on these boards for a week or so now and the majority of the posts seem to be AET orientated or invole an AET applicant. Why is there so many? Do the AFCO try to encourage people in to jobs when they are running low? Personaly, I think doing that is a bad idea as it will ultimately lead to people doing a job they dont enjoy. Or is AET just a popular career?

 

Just answered your own question me hearty!! :lol:

 

I suppose what im trying to say is do the AFCO encourage people in to jobs that need new recruits? Not neseseraly AET.

 

They haven't with me. But working with multi-million pound aircraft seems like an exciting job with good civilian prospects.

 

Agreed, although I wish no-one else thought the same way as the waiting list might not be so long!

 

Same with me, walked into the AFCO wanting to be an AET from day 1.

 

Or that WAFUs are just natural gobshites

 

Gods Branch!!

 

Generally speaking about 90% of people walking into an AFCO for the first time rather fancy being a pilot initially, but when it's realised that conditions apply such as: Qualifications are required, perfect eyesight, no history of asthma, tip top colour perception etc, the list of eligible contenders drops. The RAF, so I hear, reckon about 12,000 people need to walk into an AFCO before they get a pilot - obviously they have the time to count people in, to compile the stat. :wink:

Those who are eligible for pilot from the outset usually want to be fast jet, Commando trained Special Forces operatives initially, but sooner or later reality kicks-in. Often those not meeting the criteria will keep asking questions until they hope to see a loophole which then makes them eligible - it doesn't.

Joint second in popularity is probably AET & Diver, but the vast majority do not score high enough in the recruiting test for AET & similar to the Royal Marines - most people struggle to get fit enough for Diver & those that are fit enough aren't always prepared to wait a couple of years to join. Most aspiring to be AET but not quite scoring high enough, opt for ET(WE) or (if good looking) ET(ME).

Comms Tech is popular initially but the score required is such that we often end up counselling applicants to the effect that unfortunately you didn't score high enough for CT, but if you have the qualifications for Officer you may try that entry route - if not they usually opt for CIS (Warfare Branch Communicator or whatevver their call-sign is today).

Very often individuals will claim they wanted a technical job requiring high scores but the AFCO told them to do something else - fact is we don't tell anyone to do anything, but if they don't score high enough they will ask what's available for their score, followed by asking "How can I join quickest?".

Obviously we would far rather individuals stick to their first preference & re-take the test if necessary, however the reality is that the "want it now" generation are not always prepared to wait for job satisfaction. If a candidate joins in a trade they subsequently dislike, you can bet your bottom dollar that the person that made the mistake was not the person themself. :lol:

 

Excellent news... Seems I'll fit right in..!

 

Intelligent Gobshites!!

 

Or maybe I wont...

 

Interestingly, the overall Recruiting Test score for AET was recently lowered with Maths & Mechanical Comprehension elements aligned with those of WE & ME scores.

(The changes are not yet reflected in the Book of Reference)

 

Confirming that, I am in fact a mong

 

Surely WE & ME were "raised" to the superior levels of the Navy's finest? Just to make them feel good?

Heard AET score was just above Pilot?

 

Warfare (pilot) is exactly the same score as all other Officers. Cunningly Officers don't need an all-up score, the critical bit is the maths & English sections which need combined "part scores" in those sections, higher than all ratings scores in those combined sections.

In other words it's impossible to compare directly.

 

Thanks Ninja, will stand in the corner!!!

 

It does get rather confusing :? - it's is genuinely possible to score high enough for Officer & AET in Maths & English, but to underscore in Reasoniing & Mechanical Comprehension for AET, thus leaving Officer as the option available.

 

No they were dropped to come into line with other engineering branches. So they are happy to accept potential duffers. But still they appear to been accepting them for years!!!!

Pilots - well if i had a pound for everyone that wanted to apply I'd be a happy bunny. However, as Ninja says the RT score are not easily compared.

AET was a far shorter entry wait for a long time, so that made up some of their minds. Plus some had never even thought/heard about them. I've put in 3 x the amount of AETs this year compared to ET (ME)/(WE)'s.

SM

 

I was told in my interview that the pass mark for ET(ME) was raised ? :?