Rejuvenation of its human resources enjoys high priority in the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) with R200m spent on military skills development (MSD) training in the 2009/10 financial year…
Rejuvenation of its human resources enjoys high priority in the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) with R200m spent on military skills development (MSD) training in the 2009/10 financial year.
Since it started in 2003, an initiative led by then minister of defence Mosiuoa Lekota, more than 23000 young people have gone through the MSD system. Twelve thousand have found permanent positions in the SANDF and another 5000 have helped boost personnel capacity in the SANDF Reserve Force.
With MSD as its major commitment to improving the national skills base, the military uses career exhibitions and events to alert young people to the varied careers on offer. These range from pure military, such as infantry and gunners, to the high-tech side of pilots, navigators, radar operators, air traffic controllers and other computer-based applications including combat information centres aboard SA Navy frigates and submarines. The military also has a specialist health division where any number of medical career paths can be followed and all four arms of service, aware of their environmental responsibilities, employ conservation officers and occupational health specialists.
To create awareness about careers in the military a contingent from the SANDF’s directorate: human resource acquisition this month attended three career events in Durban.
“Initially students from the Durban University of Technology were somewhat apprehensive about the sailor/soldier concept as a career but a comprehensive presentation put these fears to rest and positive questions resulted,” said Commander Greyling van der Berg of the SA Navy’s public relations section.
At a Unisa career exhibition the following day, the SANDF marketed its wares alongside 18 private sector companies showcasing employment opportunities.
“The SANDF exhibition was well visited and details from a large number of positive enquiries were taken down for further follow-up.
“The whole Durban recruitment effort was successful and contributed to solidifying the SANDF as an employer of choice,” he said.
– kimh@thenewage.co.za
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