Hello, Mr. Armengaud. You are a squadron commander in the National Gendarmerie and deputy head of the noncommissioned officers’ recruitment section at the Office for Recruitment through Competitive Exams and Tests (BRCE). You are deeply involved in innovating the National Gendarmerie’s exams and competitive exams. Could you briefly describe the competitive exams and tests organized by the BRCE?
The BRCE is responsible, in particular, for the National coordination of the Gendarmerie Officer (OG) and Gendarmerie Noncommissioned Officer (SOG) competitive examinations but also the selection of non-commissioned officers for the Gendarmerie’s Technical and Administrative Support Corps (SOCSTAGN) and the recruitment of volunteer deputy gendarmes (GAV). As a result, more than 10,000 positions are filled each year within the institution.
What are the challenges of the Gendarmerie Noncommissioned Officer (SOG) Exam for those who register for it?
Each year, more than 20,000 candidates register for the annual SOG entrance exams. In 2021, more than 23,000 people completed the registration process, whether through the external track (SOG1) or the internal track (SOG2). The Gendarmerie’s proven appeal enables it to ensure adequate staffing levels throughout the country and to conduct high-quality recruitment, as evidenced by the selectivity rates of the various sessions.
Once registered, applicants must focus on preparing for the eligibility phase (written exam), which consists of an essay General Knowledge for the SOG1 Exam or a test of Professional Knowledge for Our SOG2 Candidates. At the end of this first phase, eligible candidates are invited to take psychometric tests, oral exams, and physical fitness tests. This second phase is critical and requires not only physical stamina but also motivation and the ability to perform well in an oral exam before a panel composed of members of the Corps.
Recruitment exams for noncommissioned officers in the Gendarmerie are held at numerous centers spread out across the country. Why is this the case, and what precautions are taken regarding the organization of these exams?
Launched in 2012, the SOG competitions were originally held at a single location in mainland France. In order to promote to build closer ties with the candidates and to establish these competitive exams in local communities, the SOG entrance exams are now held simultaneously at 6 locations in metropolitan France and 7 or even 8 locations in overseas territories. By spreading the exams across the entire country, the Gendarmerie aims to minimize candidates’ travel by offering them a test site within a reasonable travel distance. In 2021, with the written exams taking place during the last week of September, 14 exam centers will be open:
- Villepinte;
- Toulouse;
- Nantes;
- Grenoble;
- Avignon;
- Nancy;
- Guadeloupe;
- Martinique;
- French Guiana;
- New Caledonia;
- French Polynesia;
- Reunion;
- Mayotte;
- Wallis and Futuna.
Organizing an exam begins well in advance of the written exam dates. Very early on, our partner Exatech books exam venues in suitable exhibition hall spaces. The venues are thus reserved year after year to ensure the availability of the rooms. Through our point of contact at Exatech, this process also allows us to mobilize the teams that will be working on-site on exam day: setting up furniture, first aid personnel, cleaning staff, and so on. The gendarmerie retains responsibility for candidate supervision and venue security.
Providing rooms with identical equipment ensures equal treatment of applicants across all centers. In terms of preparation and organization, the BRCE is the legal guarantor of the smooth conduct of operations. We ensure that candidates take the exam under the best possible conditions and that they focus primarily on their written performance. Success in the exam reflects the reputation of the Gendarmerie and shapes the first impression candidates will form of the institution.
“ This spirit of innovation should enable us to enhance our image while streamlining the tasks involved in organizing the contest "
The Gendarmerie is constantly modernizing and innovating in the way it conducts its recruitment exams. Could you briefly describe how these innovations are being implemented, particularly with the Exatech platforms?
Starting in 2019, the Gendarmerie has incorporated its competitive exams and selection processes into the modernization. These considerations were incorporated into the initiative to modernize recruitment processes, with a project manager within the BRCE tasked with overseeing the implementation of solutions while ensuring compliance with legal requirements and adherence to established deadlines.
This spirit of innovation should enable us to enhance our image while streamlining the tasks involved in organizing the competition. As a result, the gendarmerie uses IT solutions Travel Allowance for the electronic grading of exams and Passnum to assess our candidates' digital skills.
“ Viatique has enabled the gendarmerie to streamline and simplify the processes leading up to the correction "
Can you describe the benefits of digitizing corrections? What are the concrete advantages for your organization?
The digitization of exam papers involves scanning the exams the day after the test at selection and testing centers equipped with scanners. The very next day, BRCE staff are able to electronically distribute the essay exams to the graders; these exams have been formatted in advance to ensure the candidates’ anonymity.
Graders can now grade from any computer using their login credentials. The grading is done directly on the digital copy via the Viatique platform.
Viatique has enabled the gendarmerie to streamline and simplify the processes leading up to the correction. This reduction in our workload is perfectly tailored to our needs, and we have a designated point of contact, which allows us to handle these operations with peace of mind. As for the proofreaders, they can now correct the work from home or the office, thereby reducing travel and the time set aside for proofreading. They can also talk with managers BRCE exams from a dedicated workspace, which allows for prompt and accurate responses to graders. Finally, the computerized tracking system enables BRCE administrators to remotely monitor the progress of the work and ensure consistency in the grades assigned.
How did the rollout of the computer-based digital assessments go? Did you receive positive feedback from the test-takers?
As part of an effort to assess digital skills, the BRCE launched a new initiative in February 2020, modernization project aimed at introducing a digital exam from the moment Gendarmerie noncommissioned officers (SOG) were recruited. The goal was twofold:
– prevent a gap from developing between the digitization of the gendarmes’ work environment and the level of digital skills among gendarmerie personnel;
– Assess the digital skills of SOG applicants by introducing a graded test during the admissions phase.
This digital assessment is part of preparing for the future, the gendarmerie must be composed of personnel who embrace a vision for the use of technology, particularly digital technology, in their professional practices.
The first session of the digital assessment, which consists of 20 questions and lasts 30 minutes, proved to be very valuable and was well received by both external and internal candidates. On the IS, Passnum ran smoothly, and the project was a success in terms of both management and implementation. As a result, the digital assessment portion of the SOG exams will be held again in 2021!
Are you working on other projects to take innovation in exam and competitive exam administration even further?
Efforts to further modernize recruitment processes continue and the gendarmerie is preparing for the future. We conduct ongoing benchmarking to ensure that, in the future, we can provide our candidates with the best tools and offer them assessments that align with the demands of the profession, while further streamlining organizational processes.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Rémi Armengaud and the National Gendarmerie for granting us this interview.
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