RAF after A levels

[BlueskyBluesea]

Just looking for some insight really if any of your DC chose this option. How did they find it? Did they continue in the RAF long term? How long was the process from applying to starting...that kind of thing. Thank you in advance ☺️

Bumping for you. A few of us on here have had DC join the Royal Navy after A levels and degrees both as ratings and officers.

Can only give an insight into the Navy, but it might help…

To be an officer, they only have 3 intakes a year at Dartmouth so the application to starting training process takes from 9 months to 2 years (in some cases). The average is around a year; officer initial training is 7 months (30 weeks). To join as a rating, they have intakes every few weeks at HMS Raleigh for 10 weeks of initial training. The application process takes around 6 months. All applicants, whether ratings or officers, are invited to a CPC ( candidate preparation course) for 3 days before starting. This is like a ‘try before you buy’ opportunity to see if it for you.

There has been a big military pay review in the last year. Ratings now start at 25k whilst training, whilst officers earn 33k. After a further 2.5 years officers earn 51k.

What trade is you DC thinking of? Are they looking at Rating or Officer entry? Have they done the DAA (Defence Aptitude Assessment) yet?

Not current, but my uncle did this several decades ago. Was sponsored through university studying aeronautical engineering and then did a 7 year stint in service (flight navigator) before leaving to work at BAE systems (I think, or it was someone very similar).

Was the making of him and he loved it and the opportunities he gave him.

Thank you Aslockton so much for all the information my DC seems to be the only one I know taking this route so it's all a bit unknown. He looked on the RAF website and did a general application but he is quite interested in logistics or cyberspace as a regular. They've acknowledged his application but he only sent it a few days ago so hasn't heard back about assessments yet. I noticed there is an information day in February in London so I've booked onto that as well.

It's really useful to hear of timelines from you, I was keen for him not to apply too early but also didn't want him to find all his friends had gone off to uni and he was still waiting for the next stage of his life to begin. Thanks again ☺️

Thank you CautiousLurker01 that's really positive to hear, I do think that the armed forces would bring a lot of benefits to my DC 🤞. All the best ☺️

My DC went to the RAF information day in London and found it really helpful. The process tends to be slower than what they make out, so starting early will be an advantage.

How is his fitness, the fitness requirements are available on the RAF website. He'll need to meet requirements to get through the application but will ideally need to be achieving much better times in order to make basic training easier.

Is he in cadets? If not I'd recommend joining or becoming a Civilian Instructor he'll get a taste of RAF life and learn basic skills like drill which will make basic training easier.

When I was going through the application process a long time ago I was able to do work experience on different bases. I can't remember if it was organised by the AFCO or cadets I think probably cadets.

Thank you Aslockton I thought the more information he gets the better, and also to give us more info as a family. Did your DC decide to go forward with the RAF?

Thank you for the info *Hpandthelastwish *that's all so helpful, I will definitely suggest it to him. Re fitness, he's really into it, always has been really, he now does a combination of weight training and cardio, really enjoys running and is very committed to his fitness goals...it was one of the reasons I thought armed forces might suit him and I mentioned it to him when he started thinking about life after secondary school.

If he’s going through the officer application process, with one of the roles that requires CBAT (computer based aptitude test), and it is a very competitive role that takes him into the Sift (after passing OASC) i.e. is competing for fewer places on Phase 1 training than have passed and want that role, plus aircrew medical, it could take as long as 15 months from application to offer and then another 6 months to starting Phase 1. And that assumes no hiccups with medicals. Bear in mind that it’s necessary to demonstrate leadership qualities (or at least potential) so your DS ought try to show leadership experience, whether at school, volunteering, in sports and so on.

Applying as an aviator (non officer) is quite a lot quicker, I think. One of DS’s school friends joined as a mechanic, has just left after 6-7 years and got a decent job in a company servicing motorsports. Alternatively, I believe it’s much more common in the RAF than the army to promote internally to officer. There were a lot on my DS’s Phase 1 officer training - as well as some who had joined after A levels, either directly or after some work experience.

Thank you Definitelyrandom that's so useful. I'm really glad he's made a start and done the application instead of starting after his a level exams. I think he isn't fully sure what path he wants to take within the RAF, when he looked at the roles, cyberspace and logistics were the ones that really popped out to him but there were plenty of other roles that he'd also be keen to try. I think he did a general application at this stage, that was an option that was open as well. ☺️

Does he keep on top of current affairs? It's been a while since I applied ( I didn't join up in the end) but ex Officers at cadets always said to read the newspaper, to know what was on the front page on interview morning, then you have RAF knowledge, aircraft identification, where bases are and what they do, what overseas bases are there and things like that, that's why being part of the ATC either as a cadet although he may be too old now or as a Civilian Instructor is so important and will help as it gives you that background knowledge. So if he isn't involved yet do get him to make contact I the next couple of weeks.

Thank you HPandthelastwish, I will tell him to really go through the RAF website too, I think there is quite a lot on there. He looked at cadets but you're right, he's just one year too old. He's signed up to do a couple of information sessions and looked into all the fitness tests too.

It's worth contacting his local Sqn / Wing directly and finding out what they offer as cadets is open to 12-19 year olds but when I was there a new system was in place where the over 18s had to be over a certain rank and do a safeguarding course. It might be that he can't be an official cadet and too young to be a Civilian Instructor which is 20+ but they might be happy with him visiting / shadowing / work experience type situation.

We used to quite often have prospective RAF candidates come along for a few weeks but that was 20+ years ago.