In a nutshell, armed forces training and education officers are responsible for teaching and training Army, RAF and Royal Navy personnel. They also provide careers advice.
Typically, training and education officers focus their efforts on one specialist area of training, such as engineering or languages.
If you become a training and education officer, you will be responsible for assessing the educational needs of existing military staff, and then designing, developing and implementing training courses to satisfy these needs.
You will also be responsible for overseeing the development of training programmes for new recruits.
From time to time, you may be required to refer learners to external organisations that offer suitable courses.
Training and education officers also typically have a range of team leading and administrative responsibilities.
Salary & benefits
As a graduate officer in the Army, Navy, or RAF you’ll receive a starting salary of around £25,000. Once you’ve fully completed your training, your salary will increase to between £29,000 and £32,000.
You will also receive brilliant extra benefits, including private healthcare and a decent pension.
As you progress in your career and gain more responsibility and experience your salary will continue to increase. Some senior officers can earn up to £100,000 per annum.
Working hours
You should be prepared to work unsociable hours from time to time. The majority of your time will be spent in a classroom, but, understandably, you may occasionally be required to work in dangerous situations.
Women are not usually placed in direct combat roles, but, for the most part, female officers are given the same responsibility as male officers.
Officers in the armed forces are typically required to relocate every few years. This might mean moving across the UK or even internationally.
Entry
Generally, the minimum entry requirements for officer training include: a good degree in any discipline, a minimum of 180 UCAS points at A-level (not including general studies), and GCSEs in mathematics and English language.
However, if you wish to become an Engineering Training Management Officer for the Royal Navy, you will need to complete a degree in mathematics, physics, mechanical engineering, electronic engineering or another engineering-related subject.
If you have also completed a teacher training course, such as the PGCE or a BA in education, it will certainly prove beneficial. However, this is by no means necessary.
You do not need any work experience before applying, but it may help your chances if you have previously expressed an interest in the armed forces by joining a squadron of cadets or the Territorial Army (TA) at school or university.
You will also need high standards of fitness, since part of the assessment process will involve physical tests.
Training & progression
Initial officer training is provided by the academies of the respective armed forces at Sandhurst (Military), Cranwell (RAF) and Dartmouth (Navy).
Training in the army takes 11 months, while training in the RAF or the Royal Navy tends to last around seven months.
Following this, all training and education officers are required to take part in a two-month introductory course. If you haven’t already completed a teacher training qualification, you will then be asked to complete the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (Further Education) over the next two years.
Again, people who choose to become Engineering Training Management Officers for the Royal Navy take a slightly different training route, which involves a one-month introductory course. They are also required to spend four months at sea as part of their training.
Certain officers, based on performance and adequate experience, are selected for senior command and staff positions after completing specialist training at the Joint Services Command and Staff College.