About the NZDF Mechanical Comprehension Test
Mechanical comprehension is an important skill in the military, where you might need to use, troubleshoot and perform maintenance on many different types of machinery.
In the NZDF Mechanical Comprehension Test, you will be faced with questions that will assess your inherent knowledge of mechanical concepts like acceleration, gravity, friction and energy.
The NZDF Mechanical Comprehension Test is the second assessment you will need to take as part of the recruitment process, and it is published by SHL. SHL is an internationally known pre-employment assessment publisher, and their tests are used and trusted in most Fortune 500 companies as well as various arms of the government, to make sure that applicants have the required aptitudes, skills and personality traits to be successful in the role that they have applied for.
The Format of the NZDF Mechanical Comprehension
The NXDF Mechanical Comprehension assessment is short at just 10 minutes long, but you will be asked 15 questions on a range of mechanical concepts.
Each question will consist of an image or description of something mechanical, usually something well recognised in the home or in everyday life. These are usually based on high school physics knowledge and theories, and have multiple choice answers.
These questions are testing how well you can naturally work with mechanical knowledge, and to perform well you will need to have a good working understanding of the concepts that are being tested.
How is the NZDF Mechanical Comprehension Test Scored?
SHL tests are scored in three stages. The first stage is the raw score which is made up of the correct answers that you got in the assessment; there are no negative marks for wrong answers so it is worth answering even if you are not sure.
This raw score is compared to a number of other test takers in the role you have applied for and at the same level, known as a norm group. This makes your score into a percentile, and shows how well you have done against the norm group as a percentile. For example, if you score in the 87th percentile, you have performed better than 86% of the test takers in the norm group.
The third stage of the scoring, and the way the recruitment team will receive your results, is a grade from A-E. An A grade shows that you scored well above average, while an E grade is well below average.
When you are taking these assessments, remember that you are competing against other test takers, so you need to perform better than the other candidates as well as 'beating the test'.
How to Prepare for the NZDF Mechanical Comprehension Test
The best thing to do when you know you are going to be taking a mechanical comprehension test is to revise the physical and mechanical principles you will have learned in high school science, so that you can remember any equations that you might need to use in the assessment.
You can become more familiar with the test structure and layout by taking practice tests. There are a number of free tests available on the SHL website and around the internet that can help you feel more comfortable with the way the questions are laid out and the content.
These practice assessments should be completed under strict test conditions for the best results. You should set a timer for the test so that you can experience the time pressure, and find a quiet place with no distractions so that you can perform as you would in the real thing. Use your results to assess your strengths and highlight your weaknesses, so you can focus some revision on the areas where you need to solidify your learning.
Be as prepared as possible by getting enough rest as well as eating and drinking well.
Check out our full New Zealand Defence Force Aptitude Tests page here.
