They have a bigger problem.
A lot of their support services are sub-contracted. With a lack of work comes a lack of practice and in certain safety critical professions this means skills being eroded. QinetiQ have said they will resolve this by marketing themselves more favourably to the military, to the extent that they will offer facilities cheaper. Now common sense dictates that if you do this you WILL bring in more business, so you don't actually lose out. However, they're very slow at putting it into action. Indeed it's safe to say that marketing within the organisation is non-existent. Any organisation that tries to charge a £1000 landing fee for an Islander is proving that they haven't got a clue about what they are trying to achieve.
Things may improve when you get rid of the dead wood that still hold onto the Civil Service 'I work for the Government I've got a job mentality' - but I think we all know that these people are so firmly entrenched that it's not going to happen. I have seen it first hand when they say 'yes we'll improve things' and then do nothing about it. There is one site where Operational staff spend more time on Risk Assessments, VDU Assessments, Health & Safety questionnaires and other similar items than they do on their prime job. Reams and reams of paper b***s**t being produced for no real reason. This is not a problem for the staff concerned because there's very rarely any aircraft to actually work with at this site - HOWEVER - when something as rare as an aircraft visiting the site happens then these staff are not up to full competency - and we're talking CAA Licence holders here. It is DANGEROUS and Morale amongst these people is at an all time low.
And what do QinetiQ site management do? Just bury their heads in the sand and push a bit more paper around, without addressing the real problems.
The organisation, in my opinion, is doomed to failure, and I for one am glad to be escaping from its clutches in the near future.
CM
[ 17 October 2001: Message edited by: Chilli Monster ]