Career in the Forces? (IT Related)

Blackhawk47

Blackhawk47

Blackhawk47

Soldato
Joined
17 Sep 2007
Posts
11,099
Location
West Yorkshire / Market Bosworth
So im looking for my first IT job, finished zenos it academy about 4 months ago now, had not much luck finding a job, ive been unlucky at interviews as they either picked someone with experience, and in one case someone from a different zenos it academy (grrr). anywho, noticed adverts for ICT systems support with the RAF and im guessing ICT is needed else too within the forces. im 16, got the qualifications but no experience, do you think its something i should look into ?

(i have bt and o2 apprenticeships still on going and there taking ages but if i get that it will start in september/october time).
 
Join the forces, do 10 years, and you're set for the rest of your life.

Employers love ex-military... discipline, pressure, experience and skill are the results of military experience. Not that after 10 years in the RAF you'd need another job given the pension.
 
I'd do a bit of research on IT within the forces. I was chatting to a lad (22) last week who's on his way out as his trade has changed significantly over the past few years and much is now being civilianised.

Perhaps his reasons for leaving were more complex but finding out about the long term plans for IT trades is important.
 
platypus said:
That is simply not true. The Forces are one of the best training and re-training employers around.
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Whilst that is true, there is also the minimum service time for certain things, my mate hates his job and wants to retrade but he has to wait atleast another 1.5years.

So its unwise to go in for something if you dont know if thats what you definately want to do.

Definately forces if you definately want to do IT, its a great way of life - though the navy is the highest rated force from people in the know that I am friendly/related with/to.
 
I know this is probably stating the obvious, but you would be prepared to go on active service? Also be prepared to go on guard with live weapons and use them if necessary? They do sound like silly questions I know, but you wouldn't believe the amount of people that seriously consider joining (or do join) the forces and think they won't have to do it.
 
^^^ he could always join the RAF - aside from the aircrew & RAF regiment the rest of them are practically civvies in uniform

Int corps and signals would both be worth a look at if the army is more his thing
 
dowie said:
^^^ he could always join the RAF - aside from the aircrew & RAF regiment the rest of them are practically civvies in uniform
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In a way, but when you're base is being mortared you're playing the luck game :)

I cannot believe I missed this thread. I think joining the forces is an absolutely brilliant idea, definitely look in to it.

I might be going in as an ICT specialist myself, I'm still working out all my options

The qualifications you receive as an ICT specialist are pretty substantial. Gaining a BTEC Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels) and NVQ Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels) whilst being paid is definitely not to be sniffed at.
 
DampCat said:
Join the forces, do 10 years, and you're set for the rest of your life.

Employers love ex-military... discipline, pressure, experience and skill are the results of military experience. Not that after 10 years in the RAF you'd need another job given the pension.
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Pension after 10 years in the RAF is next to nothing!
 
Blackhawk47 said:
im 99.99% sure that IT is what i want to do...ill research abit and find out more information about IT in the forces. aswell as my age :rolleyes: .

both of my trainers at college were in the army , one for 5 years and one for 10+ doing IT, (different regiments though)
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to be honest, i dont think the Army sounds like its for you

Youve got like a minimum service of 2( i think ?) years before you can leave if you dont like it. Yes you're doing IT and they'll give you all the training you need, but its an incredibly disciplined life. You're doing IT but still have to fold your hospital corners etc..

If you're doing it because you think "its a good idea" you're joining the forces for the wrong reasons. Plus, it really is a job for life as so much of the armys IT setup is propriatry. You'll spend all your time learning about the stuff they use, you wont learn about any of the stuff that civy street uses, which will really hamper you if you leave.

I have a mate at my current work who spent years with a civilian contractor for the forces, travelled the world, did parachute jumps the lot. But did he have any of the crucial experience in a windows networking environment, working with Windows 2k3 servers etc.. ? no.

He'd spent so long training on the army stuff, he had to teach himself all the civvy stuff (like windows) all over again because it had changed so much siince he joined the army.

If you like IT, get yourself an IT juniors job in an IT department, or on a service desk and see how you like it.

Take the advice from my friend, unless you're really passionate about being in the army (regardless of oppininons about IT and qualifications etc..) dont join. Got the civy street way.
 
MrLOL said:
but its an incredibly disciplined life. You're doing IT but still have to fold your hospital corners etc..
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The rest of your post makes sense, but this bit does not.

When you leave basic training and start in your trade life changes completely.

Do you think that they inspect you quarters every morning for your whole life :p:D?
 
Zefan said:
The rest of your post makes sense, but this bit does not.

When you leave basic training and start in your trade life changes completely.

Do you think that they inspect you quarters every morning for your whole life :p:D?
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im wording it badly, but i was trying to say its not like civvie street where you just turn up to work and do you job, have a laugh, do what you want and go home.

not a lot of people can put up with the discipline. And if you're on a tour of duty, you wont be allowed to live in squalour. Your bunk, room etc.. will have to be kept clean. Again, some people dont take kindly to being told to clean up. if your the sort that doesnt mind this, then fine. But be prepared. Being in the signals doesnt just mean your a techie who wears army gear.

I would MSN my other mate who'se just re-joined the army after leaving it a couple of years ago. he joined as a normal private, but he's gone back to do IT, so being an army type it made sense for him. But he only comes home every couple of weeks so dont see him on MSN. Will try and get hold of him next time he's back to find out exactly what they do and dont have to do.
 
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MrLOL said:
And if you're on a tour of duty, you wont be allowed to live in squalour. Your bunk, room etc.. will have to be kept clean. Again, some people dont take kindly to being told to clean up.
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well yeah they don't expect you to curl one out on the floor or throw all your gear into a heap but you're hardly expected to make your bed with hospital corners when on tour....

tis actually pretty relaxed in that respect - personal discipline/good admin will come naturally by the time people go on ops so not so much something you get told to do but stuff that comes naturally to you
 
Haven't seen much mention of the Navy. Ships these days are jam packed with computers and associated paraphernalia. Plus, watching that programme on C5 about HMS Illustrious it almost seems like one big holiday cruise ;)
 
MrLOL -

Anyone who thinks they're going to join the army and come out with the knowledge to work in private sector IT is deluding themselves in the first place. It's a foundation. You dont get an A Level then know everything about an industry.

2 years in the forces is enough for an employer to attribute someone with discipline, punctuation and hard graft. That's a bigger head start than a lot of people could hope for.
 
If your considering joining the forces you need to be 100% certain thats what you want to do, as once your in, there is no easy way out. There are usually 2 ways out early, one is on medical grounds, the other is in a box (coming straight from the words of serving personnel that).

If you want to be an ICT Specialist in the RAF then your looking at a minimum service term of 9 years and the starting pay is around the £16,000 mark I believe, also you only need A/C grade GCSE's to be considered (including English/Maths/Science). So your pretty much qualified already, obviously providing you have the above mentioned GCSE's.

As an ICT Specialist, you'll beworking on any of the following: airfield, underground bunker, office or workshop. Latest generation aircraft are as reliant on information flow as they are on fuel – and it could be your job to set up, operate and maintain the mission and ground support systems that enable the Typhoon aircraft to complete its mission.

There is also potential for extensive overseas travel, helping to set up deployable communications and control systems, sensors and navigation aids for exercises or operations. A friend has just returned from Afghanistan where they were deployed to set up a new communications network in a new base they are errected out there. Also, they are sent out on little notice to clean out the servers of desert sand, its quite boring really.

The majority of the ICT Specialist role is indoors unless your needed for deployment, and these can be at a moments notice. The majority of the time, when you are on base you will work a 9-5 routine unless there is something urgent that needs doing, which means you work until its done, but get the equivalent time off. When you are deployed you work with what you've got, be that 95 degree heat in a rainforest/desert or sub zero temps in the snow.

Besides the work side of things, not a lot betters the RAF (or any forces really) for what else it brings you.
 
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