should i sign on anot. tmr is my interview.
some info abt me: poly with aero dip, have a uni placing in engineering at ntu, pes b, ippt pass
should i sign on as AFE(M) tmr?
1)what are the chances of RSAF letting me to continue study my uni before i continue to serve my bond for them?
2) what if after my bond finish , i decide to quit RSAF and come out to work in commercial aviation industry. what are the chances of job opportunities for me ?
coz in RSAF i will keep doing the same things over and over again (not sure if its true)
3) will there be a big drop in pay if i come out from RSAF to commercial ? higher or lower?(assuming i alreeady got my degree in my 6 years in RSAF)
4) working hours: RSAF vs commercial aviation (like SIA , ST)will it be 24 hours standby for RSAF and 9-6 for ST
5) jobscope of AFE (M)
Hi there. I suggest you not to sign for AFE(M). If i am not wrong, you have to serve the bond before you can go for studies in uni.
Did you apply for AFE, ME4? May i know what is your gpa?
Hello there,
I'd love to help you out with the question, fellow regular from RSAF here.
I have no idea what is AFE(M), but i am assuming that you would be applying for air force engineer as an ME4?
Assuming you are 21 this year, you will get to go for studies right after you commission, provided that you make it for the next batch of university. For instance, i am assuming you are from the recent POP batch. Your ORD is expected to be in SEPT 2013. I'm assuming you have enlisted in SEPT 2011.
Therefore if you are accepted to be an engineer, you will have to go through an approximate eight months course before you commission as an ME4. That would be about SEPT 2012. Therefore you have missed the August 2012 intake for studies.
SAF would let you go for studies at AUG 2012. This is assuming that nothing goes wrong with your performance, your medical check is okay, and also you have passed the security clearance as well as attained a minimum of Local Study Award.
Right after you finish your studies, you will have to serve a four/five year bond depending on your scholarship. Since you're 21 this year, you will commission and go for studies at 22. You are expected to finish studies at 26 years old, add another four years that would be 30 years old before you are released from bondage.
Regarding military and civillian transition, I am glad you chose the right path. Though engineers are not as prestigeous as officers, engineers are considered professionals and your career in RSAF will be recognised by the civillians. However, do expect a significant drop in salary. RSAF pays 4.6k for fresh graduates while civillian averages 2.5k. In addition, i wish to caution you that aerospace industry in the civillian world is small. I would advice you to stay in RSAF if you do not mind the regiment. Salary wise, be assured the MDES scheme ties your salary to outside profession, meaning to say you will be paid about the same as a civillian aerospace engineer (outside SIA that is).
Working hours would be a 24 hour stand by. Depending on unit, sometimes you would have to take turns to be duty officer, so you would have to stay in camp. While you're on course, depending on course co-ordinator, you may get to book out at five everyday like i did. :D
Job scope: RSAF divides the AFE into two main streams - electronics and mechanical. Electronics would be handling radar, circuits, etc. Mechanical would be specialising in engines, ammunition, etc. Though you are expected to know everything in general in the course, you will only be specializing in one aspect for the whole of your career. Also expect to take up managerial roles as that's the role of ME4. You have a big army of ME1s to do the technical things for you, and as an ME4, you will be stuck in the office fighting email wars and writing many many papers.
Good to take note MDES scheme pays you by how much you upgrade yourself. You are in safe hands for life as you seek to continuously upgrade yourself.
I would advice you to take up MDES with open hands, however, its still an interview tomorrow and do take note that AFE are exceptionally strict and chances of passing are perhaps 50 50, even though you have a placing. Do your best, and if you do get into the force as an engineer, you are in good hands.
Don't let the public affect you, many people are merely NSF and they do not even understand how the SAF works. They often conjure a false picture of the force and continuously advocate till today.
Cheers, if you have any problems feel free to contact CPT Flex tomorrow. Do well for interview, spend the next few days considering. You are not part of the force unless you sign on the doted line that is. It's your youth, consider your choice carefully, and i hope i've painted a good picture of what is it like.
hey metastate, i did not apply for AFE (ME 4) as it is not available and somemore the minimum requirements for that is degree and i only got a diploma now..
hmm yes i am the recent POP batch enlisted in NOV and i got a uni placing in 2013.The vocation they offer me is AFE (M) which is the maintanenace one which can be found under this link:http://www.mindef.gov.sg/rsaf/careers/careers/vocations.html (you can find it under the MDES and theres a air force engineer maintenance)
today i went for the interview and before the interview there was a Q&A by the encik there. the encik was telling us that there is no gurantee that you will get to study even if you have a uni placing in 2013. It depends on your performance, and whether your boss wants to release you anot.. next the encik also say for us we are not under LSA but another term which i forget already but that one also sponsor you go local uni one i think.
btw you are a regular in RSAF? what vocation did you sign for and did you get your LSA if you had any uni placing as in they let you study after you serve your 2 years liablity then study then continue serve without your studies getting delayed.
i didnt withdraw from the interview today , just asking can i change my mind and tell them i am interested again ??
That's weird. Because ME scheme will normally accept you as long as you got uni placing, they are willing to let you go for course and release you one year later. That's for flight engineers, which i am very familiar about. For your case since its maintainence and based on what you said, it's different i guess.
But then, however, the chances of getting LSA is close to 100 percent. Obey the rules and don't do funny stuffs, once you get LSA they will sure release you. It is not logical for organisation to not release its people for studies right?
Let us align. Local uni placing means NTU, NUS and SMU only. SIM is NOT a local uni. Because it seems we have a discrepency of definitions here.
meaning if my studies is in 2013 , they will most likely release me for studies for 3 years then i continue serve my remaining bond? i got a placing in ntu btw.
so what can i do now?, if i wish to sign on but i didnt go for the interview yesterday for AFE (M)
If you did not turn up for the interview, they will take it as you are not interested in signing on with them.
I am not sure what you can do now but you can try calling the rsaf hotline.
Sorry, I have no idea for the releasing of you to go for studies. Most likely is that you have to serve the bond before going for studies.
thks mountaintortise, i tried calling them but theres no answer.
btw metastate, you said feel free to contact cpt flex tomorrow but my interview is already over on monday . i withdrawed from the interview on monday. so how do i contact him?
and is cpt flex the recruitment officer(c3 officer ) who went to tekong to give us the provisional contract?
hey wakaka u knw what capt flex's number is???