whats It like to be in the army, I’m thinking about going in the army when I’ve left school

The Army can be a great career. There are hundreds of different roles for you to choose from; so anything you're interested in you should be able to find.

Hello Ella, thank you for your question. Like Kieran said, there are many roles to choose from in the Army so it depends what you choose to do? The Army in general is a great career choice because it offers so many opportunities. There is the opportunity to travel all over the world not only to work but to also play sports and participate in Adventure Training. I have travelled to Chile and Nepal for a trekking expedition and travelled to Spain, Malta, Germany, France and Austria for sports. If you are interested in gaining any further educational qualifications, there is the opportunity to do this as well with the Army either paying towards it or even paying for it all. In my role as a HR Specialist in the Adjutant General's Corps, we offer a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Business Administration after training and also accountancy qualifications if that is something that interests you. The perks of being in the Army also include cheap food and accommodation, free medical and dental care, free access to a gym and fitness sessions and travel as I have previously stated. My role also requires you to have a driving licence so the Army will teach you how to drive and for you to get a driving licence without paying anything. I have been in the Army for 8 years now and I still enjoy it. Each day is different and I look forward to coming into work everyday. If you are looking for an exciting career that you can boast to your family and friends about, then the Army could be for you. For more information about the different jobs you can do, visit https://apply.army.mod.uk/roles I hope this helps. Zoe

Hi Ella Mae, Thanks for your question. It’s great to hear that you are considering joining the Army. Have you thought about joining the Army Cadets? This was what I did when I was at school and it gave me a great insight into the Army, solidified my desire to join and gave me a real head start when I got to Sandhurst to start my officer training. You need to be at least aged 12 and in year 8 at school to join the cadets. In Northern Ireland cadets need to be aged at least 12 years old and in year 9 at school. To answer your question about what the Army is like, I would say; exciting, challenging and rewarding. There are lots of different Cap Badges and trades so you need to try and work out which one would suit you best. Have a look at the Role Finder on the Army website which will give you some idea of what is available; https://apply.army.mod.uk/roles If you have any specific questions about the Army or different roles please feel free to come back to me. Katie

Hi Ella, thanks for your question. I was never focussed whilst at school, from a young teen age I knew I wanted to join the army. As soon as I was old enough I applied and got the process started. I left school with very little qualifications which I was later able to get whilst serving and earning. The army has allowed me to travel the world, paid me a decent salary and given me opportunities a civilian life wouldn’t have given me. I’m 13 years deep and would recommend it to anyone! Hope this answers your question J

Hey, just to let you know we have a virtual open day for AFC Harrogate on the 1st July from 4 to 5pm which will tell you everything you need to know and it is going to be really awesome with lots of god info for you. Sign up here to attend the event: https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/entryoptions/soldier-junior-entry/afc-harrogate scroll down to the ‘book now’ bit and then click the ‘register now’ tab when it redirects you to the event registration page.