The RAF's Interactive Online Game Aims to Attract Priority Role Talent

Engine has launched a brand new recruitment drive for the Royal Air Force to help attract potential candidates into Air Operations personnel roles.

The digital-first campaign recently went live on the RAF’s newly relaunched recruitment website, which was designed and built inhouse by WCRS, Engine’s creative agency.

Using data-driven online experience to attract recruits into RAF Air Operations roles, WCRS has created an interactive game for the RAF recruitment website called ‘Brain Ops’. 

The game aims to test the skills of potential recruits - targeting 16-24-year olds who are interested in maths, analysis, computing, puzzles and gaming - to measure whether they have the innate abilities needed for an Air Ops role.

Air Operations personnel are responsible for all aspects of the RAF’s aircraft, using some of the world’s most advanced aerospace technology to provide vital information to civilian and military organisations. They direct the pilots from the ground, and secure the skies at home - internationally and at an interstellar level.

The RAF has faced challenges recruiting for this role as the responsibilities of the job can seem daunting to a 16-24-year-old potential candidate, who may not believe they have the skills and qualifications to apply.

‘Brain Ops’ is based on insight from the Theory of Multiple Intelligence that there isn’t only one way of being ‘smart’, and candidates do not need to be traditionally ‘intelligent’ to apply for Air Operations roles but smart in other ways such as memory, spatial awareness or prediction.

Encouraging young people to ‘Play the game, scan your brain’, ‘Brain Ops’ harnesses creativity, technology and data to test the user’s impulses and reactions and measure brain activity through a series of quick-fire mini games. The player is then given a personalised scan of their brain, highlighting the key skills that they displayed through their gameplay. By showing candidates that they have these hidden skills, they are encouraged to find out more about this career path.

Simon Peck, Group Managing Director, Engine, said: “Our latest campaigns for the RAF were created through a combination of creative ideas, technology and a data-driven approach, providing a deep understanding of how to engage potential recruits. We are proud to have created these two pieces of work which we hope will inspire more young people to consider joining the RAF and raise awareness of these vital and extraordinary roles.”

Recruitment and Selection, RAF Cranwell said “Too many young people discount themselves for these crucial roles. We aim to attract Air Operations candidates by allowing them to self- identify with the skillset through engaging and interactive experience and bring to life through content the fantastic achievements that can be reached within an Intelligence Intelligence Analyst role”.