If expanding your mind, doing more for the community and getting a great job are on your New Year's resolution list you could tick them all off by working for New Zealand Police (NZ Police).
With NZ student debt increasing - paid training, a sound starting salary package of over $50,000, and free university fees is an attractive proposition for young New Zealanders. NZ Police is seeking New Zealand's finest and these are some of the benefits it offers recruits.
A very low attrition rate of 4.5%, an increase in the average age of sworn staff, and an increasing average length of service have collectively created a NZ Police that is slightly older and more experienced than it has been in the past.
Currently sitting at 11.62 years, the average length of sworn service is now longer than it has been in the last 15 years.
Current staff figures suggest that starting young is a sound way to launch a successful policing career. The figures show that 65% of NZ Police's senior sworn staff members commenced employment with NZ Police when they were below 25 years of age.
In order to balance the age of staff and to effectively carry out its role in the future, one of NZ Police's recruitment goals is to recruit significantly more people aged 18 to 30 between now and 2009.
Many people in this age group desire a job that offers excitement, variety, a strong sense of purpose and unique challenges. Flexible working hours and sound employment policies are also high on the wish list. NZ Police believes that the nature of policing work and the employee support it has in place sufficiently match the desired characteristics many people seek in a great job.
Anyone who is interested in pursuing a career with NZ Police can phone 0800 NEWCOPS to gain more information.