From Traditional Personnel to Talent Management: Polish Armed Forces Introduce the Military Competence Questionnaire for 2027

The Polish Ministry of National Defense and General Staff are rolling out an intelligent competency assessment system, anchored by the Military Competence Questionnaire, slated for full deployment in 2027.

From Traditional Personnel to Talent Management

The Polish Armed Forces are undergoing a fundamental transformation in personnel management by shifting from traditional administrative practices to a modern talent management model centered on the Military Competence Questionnaire (WKK). Currently tested in 15 units, the system is designed to verify soldiers’ knowledge, aptitudes, and professional potential to support informed development planning and optimal structural placement without replacing commanders.

Integration with the Great Seven Modernization Program

This transition aligns with the priority “Great Seven” program of the Polish Armed Forces, which emphasizes combining personnel quality with numerical strength as part of key modernization directions. These changes incorporate modern technologies and organizational shifts to ensure Poland maintains robust defense and deterrence capabilities through multi-domain operations.

The Adaptive Diagnostic Tool

The core of the system is the WKK, which features a test database of 14,400 questions spanning twelve scientific, technical, humanities, social, economic, and biological fields. Utilizing an adaptive algorithm, the system intelligently selects subsequent tasks based on previous answers rather than requiring users to complete every question, thereby supplying data to support counseling, qualifications, and development planning.

Structure and Evaluation Process

Before taking the test, users complete an electronic metric containing personal and professional information. Following the test—which covers knowledge, leadership, specialized skills, and cognitive-behavioral predispositions—a qualification and recommendation algorithm analyzes the results to generate a competence profile and map the user to appropriate positions and military specialties.

Pilot Phase and Domestic Development

The project is currently in a pilot phase across 15 military units testing three modules: Start Test, Competence Test, and Potential Test. Developed by a team of experts with methodology from the Military University of Technology, Land Forces University, and the Cyberspace Defense Forces Command, the WKK is a fully proprietary Polish solution tailored to national realities and NATO experiences.