Which in no way replaces experience that walks out the door as it is what, 2 years before these new recruits will be usefully productive....
Absolutely spot on - you cannot train experience and common sense - and whilst 2 years experience certainly helps - 10 years+ experience is even better,the trouble is many techs recognise the british disease of not valuing techs/engineers and find the only way to get a good salary rise is to escape from the shop floor and go somewhere where they are valued and given a good salary - which may be airlines/railways etc or outside aviation completely.
It is not just the RAF which has this problem - it is the same where I work but senior management seem to think that anybody can do the job if they can read a procedure...monkey read monkey do ; )
We have a huge skills gap between the few ageing and very experienced techs and the young guys at the start of their careers,others have gone elsewhere or gone up the slippery pole !