The Admiralty Interview Board
So then, you've made it past the sift interview another milestone of the RFA officer application process, well done! I remember being genuinely surprised when I received my congratulatory email, as I was sure I had made a mess of my sift interview. However the moment of:
"oh my days I passed my sift interview!"
were soon followed by ...
"oh s**t, i've got the AIB next!"
As soon as I received my date for AIB (about three weeks notice) I did what most rational people do in 2018, start stalking Google for any information I could find. But as many people on forums will tell you, the AIB has changed slightly in its formatting etc. So please bear in mind the layout of my experience was correct as of September 2018.
If you have read this far and don't know what the AIB is or does then please let me summarise. The Admiralty Interview Board (AIB) is based at HMS Sultan, its role is to select potential naval service officers by testing their core intellectual and leadership capabilities. The course is hands on and in many cases will throw you in the deep end (metaphorically), to see how you react when under stress to test your natural abilities. Meaning that many elements simply cannot be revised or trained for. The process is simple yet requires focus and commitment.
Day One:
-Arrive at HMS Sultan
-Duty junior rate will get you to fill out some paperwork, and issue you your room/cabin number (you get your own room/cabin and shared ablutions).
-Complete 8.25 laps around an all weather football pitch (2.4km/1.5 miles), the test is a pass/fail. You will NOT be informed of your result and you will not be able to wear your fitness tracker/watch as its maximum effort.
-Change into suit for lunch.
-Group meeting with Board president who will offer advice and reassurance.
-Practice the techniques for the Practical Leadership Task (PLT), all I will say is get stuck in and listen to the advice from the ratings, it really works wonders!
-Planning exercise tutorial
-Evening meal.
-Relax in the evening and take time to have a laugh with and get to know your team, I believe better teams make better results!
Day Two: (order can change based on your syndicate)
-Wake up and prepare for breakfast.
-PLT for each group members plus one leaderless task (be loud, clear and get stuck in)
-Numerical/Verbal/Abstract reasoning assessments on the computer.
-Planning exercise and write a short essay on your plan (be concise and manage your time effectively, don't panic its not that bad)
-Group discussion based on your plans on the planning exercise scenario.
-1 to 1 discussion with planning officer regarding your individual plan and courses of action (know your plan back to front and with justifications for each decision made).
-Board interview with Board president and one other senior officer (just be yourself, its not an interrogation).
-Told if you have passed on the day
-Home bound!
The AIB is an amazing experience if you relax and make the most of it. You will be potentially placed with people aspiring to roles across the naval service including:
- Royal Navy
- Royal Navy Reserve
- Personnel in service
- Royal Marine Officer
- Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Everyone will have their own experiences and worries about attending the AIB, however everything has a logic to it and their core goal is to see if you have the potential to be an officer, they do not expect the finished article. I for example made a mess of my PLT, however I remained calm and kept the team motivated in a clear and confident manner... job done! Do not stress about the interview or planning exercise as you will just get tired and forget the basics. By being confident and yourself you are showing off the best version of you, and that is what the naval service is looking for!
Im going to offer my own hints and tips below for the AIB:
- Arrive knowing you can pass the fitness test, it gets you off to a great start.
- Keep your suit simple.
- Don't stay up too late on the first night as the pace quickens on the second day and you will need your energy.
- Take a book or something for the evening in your room, a bit of escapism will do the mind good.
- Know your aspired job role back to front, in addition to the training you will undertake and why you want to be the guy/girl for the job.
- Drink plenty of water to keep you alert.
- Ask questions whenever you get the chance to the senior rates.
- Be on time for each timing given.
- Enjoy it, as you will learn plenty about yourself in the process.
- Lastly don't be afraid to get a bit wet!
As always good luck and feel free to message me with any queries you have!
Yorks2018
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