Career in the Forces? (IT Related)

[FiresparkUK]

No actual personally experience but I will try to get my cousin to post he came out 10 years back but still keeps in with his old RAF mates.

Bottom line is in those days the RAF trained you at a level Civi firms cant manage they had the budget abd your undivided attention all day every day.

Put the work in you get good stuff out was his opinion, he worked on what the RAF wanted and studied in his own time.

Life wise he insists it was fab, great mates, great facilities , travel et all (though Gulf War 1 was a bit less fun).

p.s He isa keen fresh water fisherman would you believe while in DEU he got time off to FISH for the RAF ffs

p.p.s He now Infrastructure Director for a multinational and spends 1 week in 4 in the states.

 

[Zefan]

Could I have some info on those tests please?

Sure, this is straight out of the booklet they give you. It's pretty obvious stuff but it's what you get from the AFCO before doing your test so it's as clear a description as anyone ever gets.

The AST (Airman/Airwoman selection test) consists of 7 multiple-choice tests, each of which addresses your aptitude in a different area.

Verbal Reasoning is an aptitude for using and interpreting written information.

Numerical Comprehension is an aptitude for working with fractions, decimals and formulae, as well as using and interpreting numerical information in the form of graphs and tables.

Work Rate is an aptitude for working through routine tasks quickly and accurately.

Electrical Comprehension is an aptitude for working with electrical concepts.

Mechanical Comprehension is an aptitude for working with mechanical concepts.

Spatial Comprehension is an aptitude for working with shapes and objects.

Memory is an aptitude for remembering information correctly.

What I'll do is link you to the examples on the RAF site, they have a limited amount there so if you want more let me know and I'll write up the example questions that I can from this booklet.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/aptitude/aptitude.html

 

[Azza]

Havn't read the whole thread so it may have been said but any who, Zefan how many tests do you do? Or is it only one based on the above?

 

[Zefan]

Just the one test, then an interview, medical, fitness test and a final interview.

 

[RoboCod]

Surprised I missed this bad boy.

IT techs are in very high demand in the RAF, basic training is easy and your technical training after that varies depending on your role. There is a lot of scope for further development throughout your career and being enthusiastic helps considerably.

oi you behave lol, its not bad here, just, lonely

Aww do you want me to come give you a hug. Surprised you didn't figure out who I was when I had my rifle in your face last week

If you're based at Marham or Brize however you will take on more of a civilian style job where you could be at a helpdesk or in the workshop repairing/maintaining equipment.

That very much depends on where he works at Marham. There is a very large support role as it is a very large base but there are many deployable elements, i.e. the 4 squadrons, TCW, etc. Techies get to travel about a lot, they're needed in every aspect of RAF operation.

Cool thread

Im in the process of joining the army, im hoping to join the Coldstream Guards its a infantry regiment and of course ceremonial. I should be through the long process by november at the latest.

I had a mate in the Guards, he said it was an excellent group to work with.

^^^ he could always join the RAF - aside from the aircrew & RAF regiment the rest of them are practically civvies in uniform

I'm glad that's all cleared up then, next time I'm in Basrah ad I have rockets falling around me I'll remember I'll be ok because I'm just a civvy in uniform.

Int corps and signals would both be worth a look at if the army is more his thing

But why join a bunch of ***holes? The Intcorp really does fail.

 

[RoboCod]

Just the one test, then an interview, medical, fitness test and a final interview.

Where are you at now? Just awaiting the final go ahead??

 

[Zefan]

Interview on Monday, got Tuesday off as well as I'm hoping I can book the medical for the day after if I pass. Basically hoping to get it all done next week so the ball's in their court.

 

[Begbie]

Interview on Monday, got Tuesday off as well as I'm hoping I can book the medical for the day after if I pass. Basically hoping to get it all done next week so the ball's in their court.

Good luck. Going to go in on Monday and get the application form filled in.

 

[RoboCod]

Good luck. Going to go in on Monday and get the application form filled in.

good man

 

[Zefan]

Good luck. Going to go in on Monday and get the application form filled in.

Do you know exactly what you need to take with you? Just in case they haven't told you it all

I'm in the process of filling out the mean counter terrorism form, it is horrible :\

 

[Begbie]

Do you know exactly what you need to take with you? Just in case they haven't told you it all

I'm in the process of filling out the mean counter terrorism form, it is horrible :\

A counter terrorism form? Did you look a bit suspicious?

Unfortunately they haven't!

Thought I would only need a pen. Any tips? What is involved in the app, is it just address details previous job details education?

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

I sent of for an RAF pack the other day. Looking to join as an Administration Officer or Intelligence Officer. Feel my psychology degree lends itself nicely to either of those. Just gonna wait for the pack to come through then have a read of it and book an appointment if I want to continue.

 

[dowie]

I'm glad that's all cleared up then, next time I'm in Basrah ad I have rockets falling around me I'll remember I'll be ok because I'm just a civvy in uniform.

Well I've not seen much out there to change my opinion tbh... like most civvies out there the parts of the RAF that aren't RAF reg and/or aircrew tend to stay well behind the wire.

 

[Begbie]

Well I've not seen much out there to change my opinion tbh... like most civvies out there the parts of the RAF that aren't RAF reg and/or aircrew tend to stay well behind the wire.

Yes but there is a reason they get weapon trained. More chance them going to war than yourself. But keep telling yourself that.

 

[Chasser]

Well I've not seen much out there to change my opinion tbh... like most civvies out there the parts of the RAF that aren't RAF reg and/or aircrew tend to stay well behind the wire.

Just curious, what experience is your opinion based upon?

 

[BFG_9000]

my local requirement centre

 

[dowie]

Yes but there is a reason they get weapon trained. More chance them going to war than yourself. But keep telling yourself that.

higher frequency of tours? - perhaps - but thats why they do 4 month tours as opposed to 6 months isn't it?

I guess I won't personally do more ops than an RAF bod with a trade in demand - but when I do go on ops the jobs I'll be doing don't tend to involve staying in camp

Just curious, what experience is your opinion based upon?

just observation & inter service banter tbh... yes I'm fully aware that they are not 'civvies' though they certainly are more like 'civvies' than the army or navy

actually a lot of the observations apply to REMFs from all 3 services - slack drills in general, carrying weapons using the rear sight as a carrying handle, walking round the APOD wearing stable belts with mobile phones, leather man, mag light etc.. clipped on webbing usually in rag order with straps flying about everywhere and the drills on the range get even funnier - fortunately no NDs from the group I was with but we did have a RAF chick who was so fat she couldn't actually adopt the prone position and her attempt at it looked extremely uncomfortable

 

[RoboCod]

I wouldn't say it is banter, it's just the same old dross that you begin to get really bored of hearing. IMO a lot of guys in the Army are in denial of how the services are turning/turned tri-service. In my place of work all services do the same job so the old inter-service jibes are defunct.

 

[Begbie]

higher frequency of tours? - perhaps - but thats why they do 4 month tours as opposed to 6 months isn't it?

I guess I won't personally do more ops than an RAF bod with a trade in demand - but when I do go on ops the jobs I'll be doing don't tend to involve staying in camp



just observation & inter service banter tbh... yes I'm fully aware that they are not 'civvies' though they certainly are more like 'civvies' than the army or navy

actually a lot of the observations apply to REMFs from all 3 services - slack drills in general, carrying weapons using the rear sight as a carrying handle, walking round the APOD wearing stable belts with mobile phones, leather man, mag light etc.. clipped on webbing usually in rag order with straps flying about everywhere and the drills on the range get even funnier - fortunately no NDs from the group I was with but we did have a RAF chick who was so fat she couldn't actually adopt the prone position and her attempt at it looked extremely uncomfortable

Sorry I think I misunderstood, are you in the forces?

 

[Azza]

Awwww, I canny join any forces because of my back.