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TSR Wiki > Careers > Career Options > Armed Forces Careers

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Thanks to Springboard for the original content of this page, now updated by TSR users.

Armed forces

In the last 15 to 20 years, the armed forces – comprising of The Army, The Royal Air Force and The Royal Navy – have increasingly taken on challenging roles all around the globe.

These include:

• Providing fire cover for areas where firemen went on strike,
• Helping in Humanitarian crises by distributing food and aid packages and restoring water, power and other basic facilities,
• Peacekeeping in potential conflict zones (Kosovo, Cyprus etc),
• Tackling crime on the worlds oceans (mainly drug or slave related)

In July 2004, the Government announced plans to "modernise" the armed forces. Part of this involves thousands of job cuts in, what the Government calls, a bid to prepare them for their changing role in a modern world.

The paper entitled Delivering Security in a Changing World included:

• Manpower reductions of 9,500 (1,000 Army, 7,000 RAF and 1,500 RN),
• Disbandment and amalgamation of several Regiments, Squadrons and other units. This includes:

1. The scrapping of 14 Royal Navy warships,
2. Scrapping of 70 RAF aircraft,
3. Reduction of British infantry battalions from 40 to 36

This was designed to create a more flexible force with which to combat the problems of modern combat operations, however, the timing of the White Paper has been heavily criticized due to already critically over-stretched manpower and the involvement in two major wars in the Middle-East.

Opportunities available

Opportunities within the Armed Forces are very wide-ranging. Anything is possible, from office-based and catering jobs to much more active roles, such as physical training instructor and diver. You can even enter as a doctor or dentist. Very few jobs are not open to women.

It’s important to be prepared to work overseas, re-locate across the UK as necessary and join for a minimum period (3-4 years).

Many jobs in the armed forces have comparable jobs in civilian life and will give you the opportunity to get major civilian-recognised qualifications whist you are serving.

Entry requirements

All three services require recruits for any jobs to undergo a medical and fitness test. In many jobs formal qualifications are not required, although academic qualifications can give you a much wider choice of options, including entry at a higher management (Officer) level.

Work experience and insight courses are offered by the services to give you an idea of life in the forces. Other ways to experience this is by one of the Cadet Forces or by taking part in the army's "Gap Year Commission" scheme.