The Armed Forces

[Andy in Sig]

Looking back my biggest regret was not to join the RAF or the Navy instead of the Army. I had some great times in the infantry, but it was when it was all over that I saw my error, I had no trade to get a job, I had plenty off qualifications from managing and designing ranges to demolitions, weapons etc up but what good where they in civvy street unless I fell lucky.

My advise now to anyone joining the forces is look for a trade in the RAF or the Navy so that your job aspects are better when you leave. Think for the future.

They've gone quite heavy on infanteers getting civilian management qualifications, certainly for SNCOs. It's also worth remembering that the Army does offer a mass of technical trades as well.

 

[chap]

Looking back my biggest regret was not to join the RAF or the Navy instead of the Army. I had some great times in the infantry, but it was when it was all over that I saw my error, I had no trade to get a job, I had plenty off qualifications from managing and designing ranges to demolitions, weapons etc up but what good where they in civvy street unless I fell lucky.

My advise now to anyone joining the forces is look for a trade in the RAF or the Navy so that your job aspects are better when you leave. Think for the future.

Surely the skills are 'transferable' from carpentry to cooking, IT to engineering - perhaps a little more specialist unless you with to bomb Slough, in which I am sure most members of this forum, and perhaps the actual town will gladly oblige and contribute towards

Although, perhaps you are right and the other forces have more advanced (?) call for their given trades...seems counter-intuitive however.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Although in the words of Stiff Little Fingers, they didn't tell me that the first two didn't count!

 

[Chrisz]

Well, I'm definitely getting old

In my day we joined for one thing and if we happened to get some sort of a trade that was useful afterwards - super! I think we had slightly different reasons for joining and a completely different mindset to those looking to join now.

Having said that, I often turned down opportunities to get 'useful' quals in favour of more 'wary' stuff Consequently, when I left I was very good at my job but pretty much unqualified as a civy!