NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2008 21
Sure-footed at the AIB
NESTLING in a corner of HMS Sultan’s site
sits the Admiralty Interview Board – when-
ever in the past we’ve done features on the
AIB, we’ve tended to focus on the aspiring
candidates, wobbling their way over water-
filled tanks.
But if you are in the Naval service right now, then
there’s a one in five chance you’ve been through it
yourself.
However you may not know what it’s like to sit on
the other side of that daunting desk. And that desk
places heavy demands on both perspectives.
Cdr John Warden, board president, said: “It’s a
huge responsibility here; the people that we recruit
are the officers of the future.”
Board member Lt Mark Hamilton said: “I enjoy it
because I have an influence over the future officers
of the Navy.
“I think it’s exciting when you see a real star come
through. You think to yourself ‘Hmm, is that a future
Nelson?’
“This is not someone who is going to be a
captain of industry, but a captain of one of our
ships. That is so exciting.”
Gruelling as the three days undoubtedly are for
the candidates to become officers in the RN, RFA
or RM, it is also hard work for the officers sitting in
judgement who must be able to back up their conclu-
● Board members Lt Mark Hamilton, Cdr John Warden and Lt Cdr Victoria Dale-Smith assess candidates at the AIB
Picture: LA(Phot) Judy Hurst
sions with fact.
teamwork and motivation from the world outside of officers who sit in judgement. Rank, while respected, “We need to be objective. Otherwise the board
Cdr John Warden admits: “It’s like doing a six-
the AIB. is not ruler here. Lieutenant can disagree with com- president or other board member will pick me up
hour exam. We have to concentrate hard at every
The officers’ priority is to make sure that each can- mander, provided there is solid evidence for the and get me to justify my opinions from what we’ve
moment.”
didate has equal chance to prove him or herself, that debate. seen.”
For candidates undertaking the AIB, little has
they treat each fairly and without favour. Each score, each point, has to be justified from Cdr Warden added: “The key to objectivity is to
changed on the surface – although the imminent
Objectivity is key. The ‘cut of his jib’ is no longer a this evidence of candidate’s performance, not from stay competency-based, and now with the training,
arrival of a new computer-based psychometric test
factor in officer selection. perception. we can try to squeeze the subjectivity out of it.
might surprise the old and bold officers out there.
The AIB brought in a rigorous competency-based All AIB officers undergo two days of intensive “With three of us, if one forms an opinion, because
The fundamental structure of the AIB is much the
system three years ago, and its success is now being training by experts from Qinetiq to follow the stric- the other two need to be convinced, that one has got
same: candidates arrive at HMS Sultan on the first proven in the hallways of Britannia Royal Naval
tures of evidence-based assessment. to have the evidence to support it.”
evening, and board and bond together in the AIB’s College. “The hardest part for me is not encouraging the
own specially-designed building. A recent validation process looked into Phase
Board president Cdr Mike Blowers ad-
candidates,” commented Lt Cdr Dale-Smith, “We
The next day pulls them through a morning of One training at Dartmouth and found a strong link
mits: “When I came here I had to put aside
psychometric tests, service knowledge questions and between the AIB’s scoring and BRNC performance.
my scepticism about competency-based
have to remain the grey men in the assessment.
essay, before plunging them into the gym for the This examination will take place again as successful
assessment, but I was won over – as we all
“We’re all enthusiastic people here, we want to see
fitness trials of the bleep test and preparations for AIB candidates go on to complete Phase Two training
were.
them pass. You want to encourage them, but the can-
didates have to show their own true colours.”
the next day’s physical challenges of the practical and move into their first jobs as Young Officers. “We all believe in the process. It is fair and it is The AIB recently came under the command of
leadership task (think wobbly bridges and water-filled The competency-based approach is judged against consistent.” BRNC, but due to its nature, retains vital links with
tanks...). a solid framework which analyses candidates’ abili- Lt Cdr Victoria Dale-Smith said: “At the start of the Naval recruiters.
The final day begins with the short, sharp, but ties in the areas of: effective intelligence; leadership the course I thought there was no way I could keep A move to the Dartmouth site is on the horizon
hopefully dry, shock of the bridge-building and potential; communication; courage and values; and objective. But actually you do. Because you have to once funding is found to bring all of the Board’s
chasm-swinging leadership tests, before the sce- motivation. treat each candidate as an individual. essential infrastructure with them.
nario exercise puts them through their paces in quick And in each of these areas, the candidates’ have at “For me it is now second nature, although I Cdr Warden concluded with absolute confidence:
thought and seeks out alert minds. least two chances to prove themselves to weed out the thought it would go against my own nature. But actu- “I’ve been here five months. And I don’t believe any
Individual interviews then allow each candidate disastrous effects of one-off poor performance. ally it is very easy to achieve – in here, you switch off candidate I have seen has gone away with the wrong
to put forward their own examples of leadership, Each score is debated hotly among the three Naval all your opinions to assess that candidate. result.”
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● Cdr Phil Waterhouse greets Cdr Mike Clarke (left) with other former COs of the Defence Maritime
Logistics School Picture: Dave Sherfield
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0021_NN_apr08.indd 121_NN_apr08.indd 1 118/3/08 16:00:418/3/08 16:00:41
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