The New Zealand Defence Force has simplified its job application process in an effort to increase recruitment and boost its workforce.
“Attrition, if you recall, was higher than we were anticipating, and so we needed to look at everything that we could do to increase the number of boots on the ground through our processes,” Director of defence recruiting Wing Commander George Magdalinos said.
NZDF documents show it quietly scrapped specific NCEA credit requirements for roles such as army combat specialists, navy divers, and air force firefighters, now requiring only three years of high school attendance up to Year 11, instead of passing Level 1 credits.
Technical roles, including IT specialists and aircraft technicians, now mandate a Level 2 certificate instead of stricter credit thresholds.
Magdalinos said removal of certain academic standards maintained candidate quality, with applicants still needing to provide academic histories and potentially complete learning-based aptitude tests or interviews.
Meanwhile, Bethan Greener, acting director of Massey University’s Centre for Defence and Security Studies, acknowledged that while the changes might seem “alarming”, they would create opportunities for a broader range of candidates.
She noted that specific aptitude tests employed by the NZDF measure an individual’s ability to learn or develop new skills. Greener described these tests as “a more reliable marker for how well somebody is going to do” in one of the roles.
She also warns that targeted outreach is required to attract individuals with advanced technical skills who may usually overlook defence force opportunities. For example, IT specialists or those with advanced cybersecurity skills might not naturally be attracted to joining the force.
Application boosts
Magdalinos stated that easing certain academic requirements expanded the pool of qualified candidates, resulting in an increase in applications, rising from 8,605 in 2023 to 9,702 in 2024.
“The inequity of the NCEA Level 1 system meant that opportunity for different people in our society – that inequity – meant that not everybody had the same access to a career with us, so the changes that we have made make the NZDF wholly more accessible, and that’s really, really exciting.”
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) reported a total enlistment of 753 personnel by September 2024. The 2025 recruitment goal was set at 807 personnel.
Attracting Young Recruits
Magdalinos said it is becoming increasingly challenging to attract young people to certain areas of the armed forces. In response, the NZDF has launched a new marketing campaign aimed at driving 25,000 visitors to its website.
Magdalinos stressed that younger audiences “are a little bit reluctant to give up their personal lives; they think the NZDF lifestyle is too stressful; they feel like they won’t be fit enough; and they think they might not belong.“
“They have a greater need for support and a sense of belonging, and our new campaign absolutely reflects that.”