Armed Services Inspires Career Development for Students
An Armed Services Show and Tell event, held during National Apprenticeship Week, provided York College students with a superb opportunity to grasp the full spectrum of career roles offered in all three armed services; the Army, RAF and the Navy. The event was the first of its kind at the College, with all three Armed Services under one roof at the same time.
Organised by the College’s careers service and Uniconnect, the event showcased career pathways open to all students, including chefs, business students, IT & communications, scientists and others, as well the College’s Uniformed Public Service students, engineers and motor vehicle students. Having professionals available to talk to students about a wide range of career opportunities was a very good way for the College to support and celebrate its connections with all three Armed Services.
The careers event highlighted recruitment for specialist areas like logistics, submarines or the royal marines, as well as officer recruitment and substantial degree sponsorship programmes, which, with level 4 Higher Apprenticeship routes, offer a credible alternative to the traditional university route to Higher Education.
Motor Vehicle student, Tamayha Hudson, already volunteers for the Red Arrows, and was delighted to see all the Armed Services represented at the event: “I am seriously considering joining the RAF, to carry on with my Motor Vehicle studies, or perhaps go into engineering. It was useful being able to talk to the different Services to see what career options are available.“
Freddie Hopkins, Outreach Assistant for Uniconnect said: “The Armed Services careers event was aimed at the entire student population at York College, including A Level and vocational students, many of whom may not have considered a career in the Services. The Army is the biggest provider of apprenticeships in the UK, the RAF offers apprenticeships too and the Royal Navy is rated amongst the top 100 apprenticeship providers by Ofsted. Importantly, the Armed Services offer unrivalled opportunities in terms of pay, career development and training, as well as the opportunity of a lifetime to nurture careers.”
Feedback from all the Services was very positive, with high levels of interest and engagement from students. The different units also commented on the high calibre of students, with a number of females interested in careers options. The event has also opened up opportunities for the Services to work more directly with the College’s engineering and public services teams, through workshops, visits and trips to RAF Leeming. Likewise the students found the day to be a fantastic learning experience and benefitted from interactive stands such as a bomb disposal exercise, and climbing wall.”
