The British Army
The British Army is responsible for the largest Apprenticeship scheme in the country, with more than 19,000 soldiers currently enrolled on an Apprenticeship and with 8,000 successful completions every year.
After completing their initial recruit training to develop basic soldiering skills, more than 95% of soldiers commence an Apprenticeship or Advanced Apprenticeship that is built around their specialist trade training and subsequent on-job training and experience. The Apprenticeship subjects on offer range from engineering and telecommunications to cookery and animal care. Many soldiers who complete an Intermediate Apprenticeship then go on to complete a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship with Functional Skills English and Mathematics at Level 2. The Army is continually developing new and innovative schemes that will ensure the operational capability of the soldier as well as develop the generic employability skills of the individual learner to progress through their chosen career. Such an innovation was the recent development of the Advanced Apprenticeship in policing.
The Army has long been committed to the professional and personal development of its personnel, ensuring they are fully prepared for their immediate roles and providing them the opportunities and pathways to develop their skills further throughout their careers. Extensive literacy and numeracy provision, integrated Apprenticeship programmes, comprehensive leadership and management training, instructor coaching and mentoring programmes, and specialist employment training; all form part of the ladder of mandated training and elective opportunities on offer in the Army as well as opportunities for wider study leading, for some, to a funded Master’s degree, a PhD and routes to membership of a relevant professional body. There is a wide network of Army education and training units that delivers support to our adult learners, this includes 76 e-Learning centres located nationally and internationally that provide soldiers and their families access to personal development courses.
Over 5,000 soldiers leave the Army to start a second career every year. The trade- related apprenticeships, gained during their early service, together with other qualifications or professional body memberships provide valuable nationally recognised qualifications that ease the transition to civilian life.
Private Francis Onai who is aged 34 years, is a serving soldier with 26th Royal Artillery and has been in the Army for 3 years said: “I love the Army because it has helped me build my confidence, develop good team spirit and has taught me solid core values which are very important today”.