A few questions about Cadetships

d49ma · 15-10-2009 11:24AM

When I asked during the first week of interviews for the navy I was told it we wouldnt be informed until the first week of Nov or the second week even. Unless this has changed.

CK1Champ · 15-10-2009 03:38PM

damn...was hoping we would be told much quicker!would anyone else have an idea when we'll be told if successful or not??

blondie83 · 16-10-2009 02:31PM

I'd say it'll be sometime next week for the Army as they should be finished interviewing by then - not sure for the Navy though. Saw this and thought it was quite interesting:

Defence Forces Recruitment.

21. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Defence the number of cadetships in the Army and Naval Service respectively it is intended to award as a result of the competition currently ongoing; the number of applications received for the Army and for the Naval Service competitions; the number of applicants for each who were school leavers, graduates and serving personnel; the breakdown of applicant numbers by gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34813/09]

53. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Defence the number of cadetships in the Army and Naval Service respectively it is intended to award as a result of the competition currently ongoing; the number of applications received for the Army and for the Naval Service competitions; the number of applicants for each who were school leavers, graduates and serving personnel; the breakdown of applicant numbers by gender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34815/09]

63. Deputy Darragh O’Brien asked the Minister for Defence the number of persons who applied under the recent Army and Naval Service cadet recruitment competition; the number who got through round one; the number who were subsequently called for fitness assessment; the number who were called for interview; the gender breakdown of these figures; when he expects to offer places to successful candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34742/09]

Minister for Defence (Deputy Willie O’Dea): I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 53 and 63 together.

The current Cadetship competition was advertised on 9th August 2009 with the closing date for receipt of applications being 21st August 2009. It is intended to award thirty (30) Army and twelve (12) Naval Service Cadetships as a result of this competition, which is currently underway.

I am advised by the Military Authorities that for the Army a total of one thousand six hundred and eighty five (1,685) applications were received, of which six hundred and ninety eight (698) did not meet the specified qualifications to apply for the competition.

The breakdown of the remaining nine hundred and eighty seven (987) eligible applicants of which 859 were male and 128 were female is as follows: five hundred and fifteen (515) applications were received from school leavers, and four hundred and seventy two (472) applications were received from graduates. Fifteen (15) of the aforementioned were serving personnel.

Two hundred and thirty seven (237) Army applicants progressed to the second stage of the selection process of which 206 were male and 31 were female. This stage involved a physical fitness test, group assessment and personality questionnaire. Subsequently one hundred and twenty two (122) progressed to the interview stage of the competition of which 104 were male and 18 were female.

In respect of the Naval Service the Military Authorities have advised that a total of one thousand, one hundred and one (1101) applications were received, of which five hundred and fifty three (553) were not qualified to apply for the competition.

The breakdown of the remaining five hundred and forty eight (548) eligible applicants of which 472 were male and 76 were female, is as follows: two hundred and eighty two (282) applications were received from school leavers, and two hundred and sixty six (266) were received from graduates. Seven (7) of the aforementioned were serving personnel.

Ninety four (94) of the Naval Service applicants progressed to the second stage of the competition of which 83 were male and 11 were female. This stage, which concludes this week, involves a physical fitness test, group assessment, personality questionnaire, medical examination and interview. The Naval Service competition only comprises of two stages.

Very interesting to see the overall breakdown in terms of male/female applicants, and how many made it through the various stages

Disco84 · 19-10-2009 05:26PM

I did mine for the army last wednsday week and they told me that was the halfway point with another 2 weeks to do. That means wed this week should be the last of the interviews. Id say successfull people should be getting an email on thursday or friday at the latest.

Dont be too bothered if they cut your answers short during the interview, they told me at the start that they can only allocate an exact amount of time to each competency and that if you exceed they have to stop you but that its not a problem or something to be particularily worried about.

It great to see that infomation on how many were progressing through the competition, id been wondering about that stuff.

Good luck guys.

hollywoodhoppy · 20-10-2009 04:22PM

I hope you're right Disco, remember at stage 2 they said the interviews would conclude on 27th October and the panel would be notified on 6th November by letter so you would not get notification until Monday 13th November at least, i have it written down in my diary but i hope they will do it way sooner! Not that I'm gonna get it or anything, would just like to get my PFO sooner rather than later!

Also the very best of luck to everyone, and fair play to any of ye that get it, its a huge honor to serve in the DF

Disco84 · 20-10-2009 06:07PM

Hollywood, after seeing your post I had a look to see what was jotted down on my notes from stage 2. What i've got is that interviews go till 27th October at the latest (although they actually stop a few days before that if there are no delays). Medicals then run 2nd to the 6th of November for a panel of 50 and that offers were sent out on the 13th of November to the higest scoring thirty not eliminated by that stage. The cadetship then starts on the 30th of November.

We were probably in different groups for stage two to say info is different but if mine is correct then we'l surely get a bit of notice before medicals so a result can be expected in the next couple of days.

Hopefully we'l have 15 months in the Curragh to argue who was right and who was wrong!

hollywoodhoppy · 22-10-2009 09:33AM

Disco84 wrote: »

Hollywood, after seeing your post I had a look to see what was jotted down on my notes from stage 2. What i've got is that interviews go till 27th October at the latest (although they actually stop a few days before that if there are no delays). Medicals then run 2nd to the 6th of November for a panel of 50 and that offers were sent out on the 13th of November to the higest scoring thirty not eliminated by that stage. The cadetship then starts on the 30th of November.

We were probably in different groups for stage two to say info is different but if mine is correct then we'l surely get a bit of notice before medicals so a result can be expected in the next couple of days.

Hopefully we'l have 15 months in the Curragh to argue who was right and who was wrong!

Haha, i like the way your thinking but my chances of getting there are slim! I'm gonna concede you're right on this one because I'm hoping we find out ASAP, want to know either way!

Disco84 · 22-10-2009 04:18PM

Careful now, i don't want any of those negative vibes rubbing off on me!!

CK1Champ · 22-10-2009 05:00PM

Will they let you know either way by post?also does anybody know if they are keeping the army and navy cadetships to announce together?

blondie83 · 22-10-2009 05:08PM

I'd say it'll be by email for the call to the health test, then on passing that, the actual invitation to report for cadetships would probably be sent by post. Hopefully we'll get the word tomorrow or Tuesday, prob more like Tuesday though I reckon! And hollywoodhoppy don't worry, sure you've as good a chance as anyone else

CK1Champ · 22-10-2009 07:22PM

Is that for the army cos for the navy we did a full medical bar an xray?

tribulus · 22-10-2009 07:29PM

Army medicals will be between the 2nd -6th November.

blondie83 · 22-10-2009 07:55PM

CK1Champ wrote: »

Is that for the army cos for the navy we did a full medical bar an xray?

Yup that's just the army - sounds like the Navy have the medical nearly out of the way then! Did you find the hearing test hard at all?

Poccington · 22-10-2009 08:10PM

blondie83 wrote: »

Yup that's just the army - sounds like the Navy have the medical nearly out of the way then! Did you find the hearing test hard at all?

The hearing test is simple, just concentrate and you'll be fine.

CK1Champ · 23-10-2009 08:46AM

No I didn't think it was too bad,never thought I'd hear my neck creak so many times though!!!just wondering how sensitive the drugs testis though...may have taken a panadol in the last few months but never put it down

concussion · 23-10-2009 01:08PM

[Edit]There is no drug test prior to joining the DF. <---It would seem there is.[Edit]

Once attested you are subject to Compulsory Random Drug Testing. You will have not problems whatsoever if you:

Avoid all illegal drugs.
Avoid anything with codeine in it as the EMIT screen will indicate opiates.
Avoid decongestants containing pseudoephedrine or pseudoephedrine hydrochloride as the EMIT screen may indicate amphetamines

Positives on the screen as a result of legal use (eg. codeine, prescribed morphine etc) will be verified through lab analysis but it takes a few weeks.

CK1Champ · 23-10-2009 03:34PM

Is the substance misuse test not a drugs test?

concussion · 23-10-2009 03:50PM

Do you have any more info on that? Where did you hear it?

Edit - First I've heard of any drugs test other than CRDT (and the newly introduced Targetted Drug Testing which is for those who have tested positive after CRDT.)

CK1Champ · 24-10-2009 12:27PM

yeh its a substance misuse test before going in..they take sample's of your blood to be tested...

sunnyjim · 24-10-2009 12:37PM

concussion wrote: »

There is no drug test prior to joining the DF. Once attested you are subject to Compulsory Random Drug Testing. You will have not problems whatsoever if you:
Avoid all illegal drugs.

Avoid anything with codeine in it as the EMIT screen will indicate opiates.

Avoid decongestants containing pseudoephedrine or pseudoephedrine hydrochloride as the EMIT screen may indicate amphetamines

Positives on the screen as a result of legal use (eg. codeine, prescribed morphine etc) will be verified through lab analysis but it takes a few weeks.

A private I lived with was throwing everything and anything down his neck one weekend, and then got the piss test a week later and nothing showed.

CK1Champ · 24-10-2009 12:42PM

il keep my fingers crossed so...a panadol a few months ago would be hopefully less likely to show!!!

concussion · 24-10-2009 01:13PM

Can you tell me the procedure they went throught CK? Did they explain which substances they're testing for and the consequences of a positive result? Were there any screening/spot tests or was it just the blood sample?

I'm not jumping down your throat on this, I just find it odd that they would order multiple, expensive proscribed drugs tests on every canditate without a screen (ie EMIT urine test as done in CRDT) to remove all the negative samples.

Also, don't worry about the Panadol, paracetamol isn't a proscribed substance

Sunnyjim - depending on what he had taken, the metabolites could be gone in a matter of hours, days or weeks. It's quite conceivable to be clear on a urine test days after.

CK1Champ · 24-10-2009 01:28PM

yeh twas a urine and blood test...cant remember what exactly they said they were testing for but you were asked if you had taken anything in the last 3months(even paracetomol) unless there's the tiniest thing in it that might show up!

concussion · 24-10-2009 01:59PM

Thanks for the info CK - if they took urine as well that would probably be the for the EMIT screen while the blood would be for the standard checks.

hollywoodhoppy · 27-10-2009 06:21PM

anybody get any update yet? if the medicals are going ahead next week i would assume anybody concerned would be notified at this stage

CK1Champ · 27-10-2009 06:33PM

i'm waiting on the navy and kinda thinking there going to announce all the cadetships together...navy have done a full medical apart from the xrays but would i be right army have only done some of their medical?

Disco84 · 27-10-2009 06:52PM

No news yet anyway.
Ya, Army have only done blood tests so far and no-one has been called for medical yet, that i know about. Was kind of expecting there to be word today though!
They'll probably give the offers together in the middle of november?

mcrush · 27-10-2009 08:14PM

I am almost certain that the army said the 50 going to medical would be notified on the 28th of October, which is tomorrow so hopefully not much longer to wait.

Poccington · 27-10-2009 08:22PM

Best of luck to everyone waiting for the call over the next few days.

minidazzler · 27-10-2009 08:43PM

+1 on Pocc, good luck to all of ye, especially those I have talked to!!!!

A few questions about Cadetships

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