Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT)

[bartzkingx]

Do Potential Officers have to do the PJFT? I thought we did but nobody at the AFCO has mentioned it?

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Not at present, but there are possibly changes afoot in the future.

Potential RM Officers need to pass the medical (for obvious reasons) before attending POC & then AIB, so there's no real reason (other than financial) why they can't do a PJFT to re-affirm their suitability to attend POC.

RN Officers do not have their medical until they attend AIB & then do the Bleep Test (VO2 Max), but there's a fairly strong case for them to pass medical before attending AIB.

Just a "heads-up" for potential Officer candidates- anticipate a hike in the minimum UCAS requirements for educational eligibility in the coming year for new applicants. Nothing official, but watch this space.

 

[Robfo]

Just a "heads-up" for potential Officer candidates- anticipate a hike in the minimum UCAS requirements for educational eligibility in the coming year for new applicants. Nothing official, but watch this space.

:shock: Not good news. I thought it had already recently gone up to having a min. of 140 UCAS points....

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Hello Robfo, welcome to the site.

The minimum educational requirements for Officer are 5 GCSE's (A*-C) including Maths & English plus 140 UCAS points at A2 standard, in at least two non-overlapping subjects, even if you have a PhD, the minimum requirements still apply.

These standards have been the same for many years - I worked in an AFCO on loan in 1993 & I'm pretty sure they applied then as now. The only thing that has changed recently (Sept 07) is that potential officers now have to pass the same Recruiting Test as other ranks, but at a higher level.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

It's an interesting one, but the potential increase in the level of UCAS points required indicates to me there may well be grounds to suppose that possibly the services attach less credibility to A levels & their grades.

At AS Level, you need grades B,B & C to achieve this score, but AS levels are very seldom accepted on their own with regard further education unless the individual is well over 18 years old & has higher further educational grades such as BTEC, Degree, Masters etc.

I rang AIB specifically to ask about this recently & was told that the individual needs a broad-based education, so the GCSE's & A Levels are still required even if you have a PhD. It doesn't make the individual a better leader upon joining, however it helps ascertains their academic ability to be trained to be a leader & manager, together with all the other assessments.

Essentially it's a base level requirement, much as passing the Recruiting Rest is for Officers & Other Ranks, it doesn't mean they will be a good shot, or a fearless warrior, but it ensures they have the intellectual ability to be successfully trained.

Put simply, they want the best & can afford to be rather picky I s'pose.