THE Republic of Singapore Navy should be applauded for leading the drive to attract mid-career professionals into its ranks ("Navy trains sights on mid-career professionals";
May 11).
Not unlike many other organisations in Singapore, the decline in human resource availability poses a challenge to the effective running of Singapore's defence.
The decision to attract mid-career individuals has great benefits for the navy.
These individuals, having gone through a decade or so in the corporate world, will be well poised to bring with them a set of skills that will ensure the navy keeps up with best practices in other industries, and remains at the forefront of views, opinions and ideas.
Furthermore, casting the net beyond full-time national service enlistees and young graduates will ensure that new hires are better able to make wise choices, with regard to their career options.
They are likely to have thoroughly considered the career switch, and the navy gains by ensuring it is able to attract people who otherwise would have been unsure at an earlier age.
Ultimately, it is about efficiency and productivity.
Perhaps, other than the attractive remuneration packages and career flexibility, the navy could consider having platforms for professionals who wish to serve in a greater capacity without having to quit their full-time jobs.
Such sharing of knowledge and industry-specific talent - with commercial sailors or communications specialists, for instance - will be useful for both the navy and Singapore.
Our nation's defence is essentially about its people, and the navy should constantly seek to recruit the best individuals at all levels of the career ladder.
Bryan Chow Weng Keong
