Girlfriend joining the RAF

[mj5498]

Hi, I know this is a website mainly for women, but I’m struggling to find anything that helps with my situation.
My girlfriend and I have been together for 4 months and she’s applying for the RAF. I’m a uni student (currently 20) and planning on doing a PGCE when I graduate to teach history. I know it’s early doors with my girlfriend but I can honestly see this lasting.
The main thing I’m needing help with is that I cannot find any help or discussions for teachers with service partners. Is this because teachers and armed forces just don’t go together? I know that with her being in the RAF will require a lot of moving around, but it is possible for me to teach whilst being with her, or will this all be too hard?

I actually think teaching is one of the best professions to be in if you're married to someone in the forces! It's quite easily transferable, and not 'too' specialist.

Honestly, it's the same as trying to find a job anywhere in a new place. Sometimes the job market will be great, in other places it will be awful. But the great thing about teaching is worst case scenario, you can look at tutoring or something to tide you over. A lot of other professions don't have that luxury.

Saying that, the longest I've ever known a teacher to be out of work was a couple of weeks, then the waiting a few more weeks for term to start. I wish I had gone into teaching! I work finance and it's really not easy to pick up jobs in my field in the postings we've had so far.

I'd just advise, if further down the line you do get married and move with her, that you apply for jobs the second you know where you're going to be posted. Never leave it till you actually arrive. It's worth having a decent savings pot too, to tide to over in times of unemployment. And I think there's an organisation that supports forces partners in finding work, not sure what it's called though!

I agree with Cashew that teaching is a great profession for a trailing spouse, if your relationship gets that far. Both DH and I are ex-forces and still having serving friends. A significant number of their (usually) wives are teachers. As well as school teaching, some move into military education, supporting junior ranks to fill in the gaps in their schooling. Some help with career guidance for people leaving the forces. Others have done supply teaching so they can move quickly.

Given your age and current brevity of the relationship, I would just stick with enjoying getting to know each other first. If it is 'meant to be', you will find a way to make it work.

I agree with Sam. There are a lot of hoops to jump through to get accepted into the forces so you may never have to deal with being a forces spouse. If she does get accepted for (I assume) officer training, the time she's at Cranwell will test your relationship as she won't be allowed her phone for the first few weeks - they don't tell you that until your first day.

See how your relationship develops, you may be concerned about a situation you'll never be in.

My partner is in the defence force and I think that your chosen profession will be perfect for it, I am currently retraining to become primary teacher due to higher employment in posting locations. I think that it is important to really envisage what type of lifestyle you will be leading if your partner gets in and you choose to continue the relationship.

My partner went to officer training, which was a 6 month course, with little to no contact during the first 3 months of meeting each other, it was quite difficult but you can get through it. I would advise that you need to learn to be quite self sufficient, flexible and really be okay with limited contact with your spouse. Even after initial training depending on her position, there may be period where she is away for quite long periods.

In terms of teaching, most of the spouses that are teacher found work quite quickly. It was either short contract's or as a substitute teacher.

I'm a teacher and my husband is in the Navy.

I don't think teaching is a bad combination with the forces at all. However, it does become an issue when you want more of a career rather than just a job. For example now I want to be in senior management posts and starting on supply every 2 years just wouldn't allow that. So for us, it's far better that DH weekend commutes before he leaves and I can have my career as well.

I’m a teacher and my DH is in the RAF. Whilst teaching is transferable you wouldn’t want to be switching schools every 2 years for postings. You might have to go down the commuting route. Be prepared that if she does get accepted your relationship has to be rock solid. They spend a lot of time away and sometimes it’s tough. Especially those first 6 months or so of training and settling in. Enough to test any relationship. Be open and honest with each other at all times.

I have not long left the RAF myself after 16 years, and now work in education sector!

I met a lot of partners who were teachers in my time, so seems very realistically do-able for you guys. Good luck!