Becoming a Cadet Force Officer: The ACCB Process
The Charter of The Army Cadet Commissions Board (ACCB) is to select candidates for probationary commission who possess the necessary personality, intellect, and leadership potential to lead the Army’s Cadet Forces (ACF and CCF(A)). Cadet officers are selected through the ACCB.
ACCB Assessment Structure
Each assessment weekend is deliberately intensive (lasting from 9am to 5pm on certain Saturdays throughout the year) and is designed to test candidates’ leadership qualities and potential. Each syndicate has three assessors: the Vice President, Deputy President, and Group Leader, with the President overseeing all syndicates.
Most assessments take place in syndicate groups, where participants are assigned a number on a coloured pin badge and are referred to by that number throughout the day. No single test will result in a ‘not selected’ decision; instead, your overall performance throughout the day will be assessed. The process enables the assessors to identify your suitability for a Cadet Force Commission as well as your strengths and areas for further development.
What to Expect from the ACCB Assessment Weekend
On Saturday morning, you will receive a briefing from the President to prepare for the day’s tests and assessments, followed by a chance to introduce yourself to the group.
Throughout the weekend, you’ll participate in various activities, including group discussions and exercises that help guide the assessment team in evaluating your suitability to become a Cadet Force officer.
Description: In your leaderless syndicate groups, you will be given several set topics, including at least one youth-related topic, that you will be asked to discuss.
Purpose: Assessors will be looking at listening and speaking skills, how well individuals communicate with others in the group and how well they put across their ideas.
Description: The SJA comprises an in-tray exercise in combination with a written and verbal communication activity. You will be presented with relevant theme-based scenarios: telephone calls, emails, complaints and other actions. It is then up to you to prioritise each task in accordance with the perceived importance. You are expected to exhibit the correct level of understanding, display the right type of skills and demonstrate the appropriate attitudes of the role. The SJA consists of three components:
- SJA Written Task (60 minutes). You consider the scenario and produce a short (no more than 2 sides of A4) handwritten briefing paper enabling assessment in your written communication ability.
- SJA Discussion (up to 20 mins). This activity aims to assess your understanding of the problem and your ability to work within a group context to solve the problem.
- SJA Candidate One-to-One Cross Examination (5 mins per candidate). This activity aims to assess your understanding of the problem and your ability to think on your feet, coping with a degree of pressure.
At the start of the exercise, you’ll be devising your own written plan. During the group discussion, you will work with the other members of your syndicate group to generate a verbal group plan. Afterwards, you will be brought into the syndicate room individually where the Deputy President of the ACCB, who has been observing the exercise with other assessors, will ask you to answer several questions about the scenario or the plan.
Purpose: The main point of the SJA is to see how you can extract and recall information, work out solutions, formulate plans and pass this information on to others.
Description: You will be given three topics (chosen from reading through your CV) and given 10 minutes to prepare a five-minute talk on one of the topics, which you will deliver to your syndicate group.
Purpose: This task will provide information on your communication and presentation skills.
Description: The interview will be based on your CV and conducted by your syndicate Vice Presidents of the board.
Purpose: Your interviewer will be keen to find out why you want to be an officer and to find out more about you, your skills and your aspirations.
Description: This is an individual rather than group activity – the focus is on conceptual problem solving and communication skills. Markers (labelled 1-8) will be used to represent candidates.
Purpose: To assess a candidate’s ability to solve a practical problem using the resources available to them.
On Sunday, the assessors bring together their evidence and decide who has reached the standard to receive a Cadet Force Commission. There is no set quota; ACCB would like a 100% success rate, so they are looking for evidence to select candidates, rather than not select them.
今天就加入陆军军官学校！
加入陆军军官学校，开始令人兴奋的探险，培养宝贵的技能，并为 12 至 18 岁的青少年建立终生友谊。