How do! Back to the goat.

[Zomerzet]

SAC(T) fairy approaching year 11 of my 12. Promotion or bust! Was on here a little many moons ago. Pleased to see my account's still active.

• AV bay at Waddo for nearly 2 years 'over bourne' (Remember that?!)
• Bay got 'civvied' and spent a short year at SMS on Sentries.
• Over 5 years on XI from it's inception as a Typhoon sqn.
• Now working as an uber geek/near civvy in the Typhoon MSC (I'm actually enjoying such a technical role).

I'm now in my resettlement period and pretty much 90% looking at leaving the mob (Currently going through the 'What am I doing'/'Can't wait to end this' emotional roller coaster). The final straw was yet another great assessment but still no promotion due to the words 'within a short period of time' instead of 'immediately'. Good assessments every year (Secondary duties, the lot) but a man can only listen to 'there's always next year' for so long before thinking he's being a bloody mug. I'm worth more than this.

Not come back on here for a huge rant, but maybe a little reassurance that getting out isn't as big a thing as the RAF'd like to make out. It'll be nice to talk about the RAF's inflexibility without bing 'in the workplace' so to speak. I'm a skilled engineer and I want to progress, but despite being more capable than some of my seniors, I am restricted to the rigid 'system'. I am developing a very specialised skill set in my current role which I'm sure a defence company would seek. But in this shrinking organisation, they have no way of retaining talented individuals, so I'm going to take control of my own destiny...cup of corrrfeee

 

[Malesu]

Welcome back,

I escaped from Conz (after 5 yrs) and III, 18 months ago (30 if you include 12 months working with BAE in Eng Recs), and now working at Airbus, and not missing it one bit.

So look forward to getting out..DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[briggfairy]

i'm actually in a very similar position, doing pretty much the same job as you just on a different bit of kit in a larger building, i decided not to wait until my 12 but leave after 10 after being given the feedback from the promotion board that "whilst being a very good technician the evidence of leadership in the narrative is not clear enough" which apparently was enough to get me zero scored!

my reply was nice and simple that i will take my very good technical skills to an environment which will better reward me for them! the long and short of it is the raf don't really want to promote people who are the best at their job they want the people who will complain the least and produce half decent results!

i'm led to believe the real world is a better place to work and i have a funny feeling you'll end up being more than ok!

 

[Malesu]

the long and short of it is the raf don't really want to promote people who are the best at their job they want the people who will complain the least and produce half decent results!

Pretty much my feeling too, I finally get some recognition and get a mention on QBHL in 2011 and get my farewell handshake a few months later.

 

[Zomerzet]

Leaving III eh? You and the rest of the Sqn!

Cheers for the replies guys. I know deep down I'm doing the right thing. I've got a few decisions to make employment wise. I have a house in Lincoln, am am married with a 5 year old. I am looking at using my experience to go into a radar specialist type of role (Most likely within the defence industry), but would also consider field service engineering or other general engineering work. I quite like the idea of going into Systems Engineering and doing project based work.

I may get lucky and find that kind of role in the backwater (Engineering industry wise) of Lincolnshire, but am fully prepared for the eventuality that I may have to re-locate. On my job searches I'm finding most of the roles I'd like to aim for are based in either Stevenage or Bristol for companies such as Mass, EADS etc. If I was to relocate, it's reassuring to know that defence companies are 'grouped' in these locations so that if I wanted to change jobs, I wouldn't necessarily have to move.

I planning ahead and am doing a HND in electrical & electronic engineering (I've already got a HNC) before I leave, and am not scared of applying for 'graduate' roles. Just really want to start seriously seeking roles, but will wait until the start of 2014. Looking forward to becoming more than 'just an SAC'!