Cadet forces in Dunedin will be able to get something more from their training this year, with New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) credits being available for the first time.
Everything from a knowledge of the New Zealand Defence Forces to knots and lashings, abseiling, first aid, aviation and aviation history are subjects in which cadets can gain credits.
A group of nine new recruits were getting an introductory course at Dunedin's Kensington Army Hall last week, learning the basics for what is a three-year course.
The NZQA describes its National Certificate in Cadet Forces (Foundation Skills) as recognising the skills and knowledge acquired by corps members within the context of the New Zealand Cadet Forces programme: the Cadet Corps, Air Training Corps and Sea Cadet Corps.
The qualification had compulsory standards designed to assess core Cadet Forces skills including foot drill, firearms use and operation of a radio telephone, with compulsory standards in self-management, health, and writing skills.
Air Training Corp Cadet Unit Commander Joni Simpson, of Dunedin, said the credits did not give the recruits "right of passage" to the defence forces but, apart from the skills learned, it did allow them to discover what was on offer in terms of careers.
The Air Training Corps course included camps where recruits learned bushcraft, and also featured trips to Omarama to learn about gliding and some powered flights.
Some cadets had progressed to solo flying in both.
The corps had approximately 35 cadets, and many stayed more than the three years, Squadron Leader Simpson said.
She saw a lot of changes in the young people who attended, "from a quiet kid when they first start, to a confident, self-disciplined individual".
