Volume 49, No. 18, October 05, 2006
Game battle to attract recruits

 

TALKFEST (left) Host Richard Wilkins interviews CAPT McCracken and Mr Dominic Finnegan from NineMSN.

Navy recruiters have adopted innovative tactics to attract the attention of young, technologically-literate people with the launch of an interactive computer game, Extreme Battleships.
In what is believed to be a world first, the RAN has developed a two-player interactive, internet-based, computer game where you can test your warfare skills and aptitude against the maritime enemy in an adaptation of the board game Battleships.
The main aim of the game, however, is to give recruiters the edge in attracting potential candidates in the highly competitive job market. Every year, recruiters receive more than 100,000 career enquiries, with 60 percent of all recruiting inquiries sourced from the internet.
Inspired by the success of the computer game America’s Army, whereby 40 per cent of recruits had played the game prior to enlisting in the US Army, the RAN similarly expects Extreme Battleships will stimulate interest in Navy careers.
Navy is offering 2000 jobs including 700 trade apprenticeships in the 2006-07 financial year.
The game can be accessed on the MSN Messenger website at www.ninemsn.com.au which has 4.2 million registered users in Australia. The majority of MSN subscribers are aged in the 15-26 demographic, a key target for recruiters.
Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN, said that Navy was embarking on a major recruiting exercise to enlist the young people required to crew the next generation of ships – including Air Warfare Destroyers, Amphibious Ships and the Armidale Class Patrol Boats.
“We will be promoting the Navy to young people who express an interest in experiencing the unique and exciting Navy lifestyle,” VADM Shalders said.

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