After graduation from Officer Cadet School New Zealand (OCS-NZ)), officers will complete Young Officers Courses.  At the completion of this course, officers will assume their first command appointment.  They can expect to remain in these positions for the next 18 -36 months.  During this time they will be responsible for the leadership, training and management of up to 30 people, management of equipment and resources and also financial management.  Officers will find themselves regularly training with their soldiers in New Zealand and overseas with the possibility of an overseas operational deployment always in the back of their mind. 

All officers are required to have formal annual appraisals of job performance, an assessment of potential for promotion, and an assessment of employment and training potential.   These provide officers with a basis for improving subsequent performance and contribute to promotion and career management decisions.  Annual appraisals are discussed with an individual’s commanding officer.

Following Initial Officer Training (IOT) there are three generic levels of formal professional development that all officers are expected to complete.  These are: Junior, Intermediate and Senior.  There will also be other opportunities available depending on an officer’s potential, skill sets and interests. 

Junior Officer Training

Junior officer training within the New Zealand Army includes three formal courses.  Officers are expected to complete these courses in their first 1-4 years.  These are:

• Young Officers Corps Courses.
• Junior Staff Officers Course.
• Lieutenant to Captain Corps Course.

Intermediate Officer Training

Intermediate officer training within the New Zealand Army includes three formal courses generally conducted between years 5 and 10 years.  These are:

• Grade Three Staff and Tactics Course.
• Captain to Major Corps Course.
• Grade Two Staff and Tactics Course.

Senior Officer Training

• Command and Staff College.

Education

Other