Recruit training gives our people the basic skills, knowledge and culture of being in the military. But when deployed as a sailor our people have will have a specific role to fill. They are going to be part of an organisation that requires an enormous variety of specialists to function. The days of unskilled labour and limited skillsets are long gone. When our people are upskilled within their trade, they are provided with high quality training and education.

New members of our Navy choose a particular trade prior to starting their career, and that trade will require professional development. Trade training is predominantly done within our Navy, but it may also involve study outside of the military. Navy trades and careers utilise a wide variety of tertiary education paths spanning across university, technology institutions and trade training.

Today, much of the trade training in the military has achieved parity with civilian qualifications, meaning that the training our people complete will earn them the equivalent qualification for civilian life. In some instances, such as the chef and building trades, the qualification undertaken as part of trade training is the civilian industry qualification.

All full time personnel can further upskill using the Voluntary Education Study Assistance programme, which provides financial assistance to undertake part-time study towards a Level 4 or higher qualification on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

People might think that military leadership is clear-cut. But in fact, leadership is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ in the military. There is no single approach or leadership style that fits the Royal New Zealand Navy. Unlike a business leader, our leaders work in a military context, where circumstances can quickly change. There are physical risks, moral challenges and psychological pressures. It means our leaders need to constantly assess the situation and environment so that they can adjust their behaviour appropriately.

From the beginning, everyone in the Navy accepts that they have a responsibility to support their own development. This is known as ‘Lead Self’ in the New Zealand Defence Force Leadership Development system. The system progresses through Lead Teams, Lead Leaders, Lead Systems, Lead Capability, Lead Integrated Capability and Lead Organisation. This system supports the progression and transitioning of our leaders.

Our leadership development is strongly aligned with workplace experiences. Formal education, training and courses all contribute to leadership, and so does coaching, but the development of leaders within the workplace is a strongly-embedded culture within our Navy. Our leaders are stretched and exposed to novel situations. New experiences are a fact of life in the Navy, due to the required posting cycle and rotation of military personnel.

As a person progresses in their career, they embrace the concept of every person in the Navy being a leader, and that leadership development is shared across the organisation.

Our leaders never stop learning, and are constantly developing skills on the job. It's part of our culture that our leaders develop other leaders, because as people progress and change roles, or become promoted, we have to have leaders following in their footsteps.

As our people progress in their career, the experience gained in both their trade and their leadership will naturally lend itself to roles as an instructor and in management.

The New Zealand Defence College (NZDC) provides the framework for the learning strategy and policy across the Defence Force and ensures that our instructors and learning managers are aligned with the Defence Force education system. Our people hold roles instructing in a wide variety of fields, such as at the Seamanship Training Aid Facility in Devonport, the Institute of Leader Development in Trentham and the Central Flying School at Ohakea. 

The Navy is constantly upgrading to keep up with technology and adapting to international developments. Personnel, as they grow in their careers and achieve seniority, can become managers of teams and projects, using their skills, knowledge and insights to help the NZDF and Navy deliver not only defence capability, but grow as a modern government organisation and employer. Personnel, both in the civilian workforce as well as military, are able to advance their careers in management in the NZDF and Navy just like any other government department.