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Current Affairs RAF OASC Interview

Hi Guys,

I find this part of the Interview the hardest as I am always unsure of what topics would be suitable to use and revise for the final section of the interview. I'm not looking to be spoon fed here I'm just looking to give myself the best possible chance of succeeding by trying to improve on an area which I know I have previously been weak in.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Nick

By the way my OASC board is 24th May! If anybody else is on the same board then send me a message :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
The rule of thumb is 5 domestic topics, 5 international topics. Know what's going on, what your viewpoint is - and why - and why you thought it was something to mention. In the case of the international ones, have an idea about why the RAF might be interested.

Try to know each of them in detail, use more than one source to find out about them.
Reply 2
Avatar for Dagowly
Dagowly
7
Whatever you chose, have an opinion on those subjects that you can justify.
Read some broadsheets and a magazine like the Economist. Current hot topics, include Brexit, Refugee Crisis, Panama papers and Tax avoidance, Zika Virus and Olympics in Brazil, Government spying. Make sure you read the editorials and opinions. It's good to know both sides of the arguments but you need to justify your position.
Fantastic magazine to read is 'The Week'.

It recaps the past 7 days' most important stories from the UK, and has great insights into the arguments.

Also, the RAF newspaper, speaks for itself.
Reply 5
Avatar for shmarmie
shmarmie
Nick,
I have just been on OASC and chose the following:

UK: EU Referendum, Migrant Crisis, IndyRef 2 in Scotland, Treatment of junior doctors, UK Steel

International: POTUS Elections, Zika virus, gun laws in the US, ISIS, North korea's rocket/nuclear tests

BBC news is obviously good for these but look to respected newspapers for those extra nuggets of information.

I was asked about IndyRef 2 and POTUS Elections. Do learn all the topics in plenty of detail and state your opinion on them. The interviewer will play devils advocate and you simply need to argue your case. If there is an ongoing issue which you have a strong opinion on or feel passionately about, definitely bring that up (as a Scot, I was lucky with IndyRef 2).
I think that the level of difficulty depends on the interviewer. Other people told me that they are at your throat for opinions and back up facts and I went into the interview under this impression. Instead I felt that I wasn't pushed too hard for information and opinions. It was more like a conversation - albeit an opinionated one! This may have been a freak one-off but my advice is to learn all the topics inside and out so that it is you giving the interviewer a hard time! You will earn bonus points for this!

If you need to know anything else about the OASC process, let me know. It's all fresh in my mind and I have written up a bit of a thesis to help others know what to expect.

Best of luck!
(edited 7 years ago)
Hi
I have just got my date through for my RAF OASC interview and any more advice would be most welcome. I am hoping to join as an intelligence Officer.
I appreciate that some time has now elapsed since your interview but any help would be brilliant!
Thank you.
Reply 7
Avatar for shmarmie
shmarmie
Original post by Lottielou12
Hi
I have just got my date through for my RAF OASC interview and any more advice would be most welcome. I am hoping to join as an intelligence Officer.
I appreciate that some time has now elapsed since your interview but any help would be brilliant!
Thank you.


Hi Lottie, let me know of any queries or questions you have (either on here or PM) and I'll happily answer them.

Shmarmie
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Avatar for Antssy
Antssy
7
Original post by shmarmie
Nick,
I have just been on OASC and chose the following:

UK: EU Referendum, Migrant Crisis, IndyRef 2 in Scotland, Treatment of junior doctors, UK Steel

International: POTUS Elections, Zika virus, gun laws in the US, ISIS, North korea's rocket/nuclear tests

BBC news is obviously good for these but look to respected newspapers for those extra nuggets of information.

I was asked about IndyRef 2 and POTUS Elections. Do learn all the topics in plenty of detail and state your opinion on them. The interviewer will play devils advocate and you simply need to argue your case. If there is an ongoing issue which you have a strong opinion on or feel passionately about, definitely bring that up (as a Scot, I was lucky with IndyRef 2).
I think that the level of difficulty depends on the interviewer. Other people told me that they are at your throat for opinions and back up facts and I went into the interview under this impression. Instead I felt that I wasn't pushed too hard for information and opinions. It was more like a conversation - albeit an opinionated one! This may have been a freak one-off but my advice is to learn all the topics inside and out so that it is you giving the interviewer a hard time! You will earn bonus points for this!

If you need to know anything else about the OASC process, let me know. It's all fresh in my mind and I have written up a bit of a thesis to help others know what to expect.

Best of luck!



Great post, and very helpful in condensing my current affairs research.
You mention a thesis that you have worked on, would it be possible to have it forwarded, as I am a relative novice to this, and do not know what to expect.

Kind regards,
Reply 9
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Original post by Antssy
Great post, and very helpful in condensing my current affairs research.
You mention a thesis that you have worked on, would it be possible to have it forwarded, as I am a relative novice to this, and do not know what to expect.

Kind regards,


Beyond what's written in this thread, there's not an awful lot else to know.

The interview is only 40 minutes, only half of that is used for your knowledge of current affairs, government and international structures, the RAF, your role, etc. So in reality you're not looking at more than 5 minutes.

If the notes above this can't help you get ~5 minute's worth of knowledge, then why do you think an essay will?

Stop worrying, chill out. Being stressed about it won't help you perform well. And remember, tens of thousands of people made it into the RAF before the internet was invented, so the information here isn't the be all and end all.
Reply 10
Avatar for Antssy
Antssy
7
Original post by Drewski
Beyond what's written in this thread, there's not an awful lot else to know.

The interview is only 40 minutes, only half of that is used for your knowledge of current affairs, government and international structures, the RAF, your role, etc. So in reality you're not looking at more than 5 minutes.

If the notes above this can't help you get ~5 minute's worth of knowledge, then why do you think an essay will?

Stop worrying, chill out. Being stressed about it won't help you perform well. And remember, tens of thousands of people made it into the RAF before the internet was invented, so the information here isn't the be all and end all.


The original post mentioned that a thesis was written, and questions about the entire OASC Process are welcome. So I assumed the thesis would be on the whole process, not just the current affairs section.

Yes, you are correct, if I can't garner enough info from these posts on current affairs, then an essay on the same subject would be quite useless.

Your guidance on chilling out is most welcome, something I am currently not very good at, and forget to do!
Reply 11
Avatar for Ikaruss
Ikaruss
9
The little event across the pond yesterday will make for an interesting take on world issues for anyone getting through to the interview at OASC!

The only positive is that you can basically suggest any geopolitical scenario, and no-one can say that it won't happen.

Hearing Trump say that US policy will be characterised by it's unpredictability, makes me ever so slightly concerned. Having lived through the Cold War, when the nuclear clock was said to be at a minute to midnight, I was never that worried.

I am now.
Hello does anyone know whether its a good idea to purchase the Royal Air Force Officer Aircrew and Selection Centre Workbook by Richard McMunn? Im trying to get really prepared for the OASC so if anyone has any advice on what I could work on to help me through this process it would be much appreciated.
Original post by ICECOLDPRINCE
Hello does anyone know whether its a good idea to purchase the Royal Air Force Officer Aircrew and Selection Centre Workbook by Richard McMunn? Im trying to get really prepared for the OASC so if anyone has any advice on what I could work on to help me through this process it would be much appreciated.


No.

There's no information or advice out there that you need to pay for. I'd guarantee that everything written in that book is available online for free.
Reply 14
Avatar for shmarmie
shmarmie
Original post by Drewski
No.

There's no information or advice out there that you need to pay for. I'd guarantee that everything written in that book is available online for free.


Drewski does make a point - most of what is in that book is available online. I bought that book myself and really only found it useful for the filter interview as it does give you a long list of likely questions and a good idea of how to give solid answers for all of them. It's not actually much help for OASC.
Original post by shmarmie
Drewski does make a point - most of what is in that book is available online. I bought that book myself and really only found it useful for the filter interview as it does give you a long list of likely questions and a good idea of how to give solid answers for all of them. It's not actually much help for OASC.


And that list is on here somewhere. For free.
Original post by Drewski
No.

There's no information or advice out there that you need to pay for. I'd guarantee that everything written in that book is available online for free.


Cheers Drewski
Original post by shmarmie
Drewski does make a point - most of what is in that book is available online. I bought that book myself and really only found it useful for the filter interview as it does give you a long list of likely questions and a good idea of how to give solid answers for all of them. It's not actually much help for OASC.


Hello shmarmie do you remember much about the OASC like what questions you were asked in the syndicate? And if possible can you recall the structure of what happened at OASC? Anything you can tell me about your time there would be really helpful. Thank you.
Reply 18
Avatar for shmarmie
shmarmie
Original post by ICECOLDPRINCE
Hello shmarmie do you remember much about the OASC like what questions you were asked in the syndicate? And if possible can you recall the structure of what happened at OASC? Anything you can tell me about your time there would be really helpful. Thank you.


Just PM'd you mate
Hi shmarmie

I'd really appreciate it if you could please send me the same message?
Thanks

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