It has come to my attention that some compulsory redundees have been contacted by manning and asked if they would like to stay in after all. I have names, and have confirmed that this is the case. It would appear that the proverbial has hit the fan at some considerable velocity down at Manning, and that the unprecedented numbers of PVRs going in (77 at the secret Northern GR4 establishment alone in the last 3 weeks) have caused some waves to say the least.
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Slightly off-topic from the OP, but related to previous few posts...
I'm relatively inexperienced when it comes to my chosen trade having only been in for two years. I'm proud to be serving and I am, perhaps naively, optimistic about my future in RAF. Within the next year and a half I'll have earned my first trade-related qualification of any worth and it is my current plan to, at that point, reassess my circumstances and choose from a number of options:
So; based on your experiences, what are your recommendations for someone who has not been in quite as long as the majority of the posters in this thread?
I'm relatively inexperienced when it comes to my chosen trade having only been in for two years. I'm proud to be serving and I am, perhaps naively, optimistic about my future in RAF. Within the next year and a half I'll have earned my first trade-related qualification of any worth and it is my current plan to, at that point, reassess my circumstances and choose from a number of options:
- Continue with my current career path, work on further education and endeavour to climb through the ranks with an end-goal of retiring and moving onto other opportunities gained through my qualifications.
- Pursue a commission, not necessarily trade-related.
- Set my sights on a civvy field of work, using my time in the RAF to gain any needed qualifications and punch out at the right time.
So; based on your experiences, what are your recommendations for someone who has not been in quite as long as the majority of the posters in this thread?
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A well structured post asking a very interesting and thought provoking question.
First of all don't panic!
By only serving two years so far that would suggest that age is on your side...You are earning a wage, working towards a decent pension and doing something you apparently enjoy whilst learning about your trade and as a by-product some leadership/management skills from your peers if they are worth their salt.
What I banged on about to my colleagues and on here is the theory (and putting it into practice) of giving yourself as many options as you possibly can...life with options is a happier place to be than life looking down the barrel of a job with no prospects, a life with no wiggle room to improve it and your energy to improve your lot being sapped away through a combination of the former.
Only you in the end can supply these options to yourself through hard work (and just every now and then some bits and bobs of luck) based on a plan that you are happy with, hungry to follow and constantly updated as the options you give yourself open up new windows of opportunity.
So lets look at the options you think you have and see where we can offer you some encouragement and direction based on experience:
"Continue with my current career path, work on further education and endeavour to climb through the ranks with an end-goal of retiring and moving onto other opportunities gained through my qualifications."
You choose your trade for a reason in the AFCO and assuming, after two years of evaluation, you are happy with it how can you increase your options here? Your line manager wants effective and safe productivity out of you with the minimum of distractions and hassle. The more you can do technically the more effective and promotable you will be. Talk to your JNCO/SNCO about the scope of courses available to you and ask to do them with sensible gaps in between for consolidation. Don't ignore the more ancilliary courses such as HSE, Continuous improvement and self improvement based ones such as listening courses at Amport House...The more rounded an individual you can make yourself in terms of technical ability and leadership putty (ready to be moulded and employed) the more options as you pick up promotion will be there for you...never turn down the chance to do a sh1tty/difficult job or in fact any trade work if you are an aircraft techy and become the go-to guy for work and advice and the rest is up to your report writer (never sign a report on you as complete until you are absolutely happy with it...no matter what pressure you are feeling). Having the techincal courses backed up by formally recognised management potential will give you wider options in the future for more specialised roles in interesting or irregular places. Get some OOA under your belt.
"Pursue a commission, not necessarily trade-related."
An admirable idea and one that many have followed...a commission opens up options for better financial renumeration both whilst in and when you leave with a pension. There is no such thing as a free lunch in life so as responsibility and bureaucracy is laden on you as a leader of potentially many people you will have to adapt and focus on goals that your career is now dependant upon that as an ex-ranker may have seemed trivial or nonsense to you with airmens spectacles on. The options that a commission in just about any trade are valuable and can be exciting. Being the 'buck' (as in it stops here)is an amazing feeling if you put the effort into learning your role...seeing people succeed and flourish under your command and actually say thankyou for your guidance and assisstance gives you the option to feel proud of your work and the direction you have taken. Going out of trade to commission gives you options to kickstart your career if your original trade wasn't suiting you...People who have been commissioned in the stores or admin areas can be very employable out here in commercial land as an example demanding high wages and decent conditions...not to mention becoming a member of the old boys network which not only exists but tends to run some firms.
"Set my sights on a civvy field of work, using my time in the RAF to gain any needed qualifications and punch out at the right time."
By all means set your sights on the future as the mob doesn't last for ever but definately keep your powder dry with respects to telling people that you are only doing an activity to increase your chances of working on the trains for example! You get £175 a year SLC and if anyone in the mob at the moment isn't using then to be honest you are being foolish...Even if you are so happy in your role and post that you wake up singing you should still try to put another qualification in your bag every year just in case your employer decides you are no longer needed...start from the bottom if you are lacking in GCSE's and work your way up to an OU degree...I did just that joining as a mech then onto a fitter then aircrew now I manage a department of 110 people in the defence industry...I left school with 3 O'levels(and one was design..). I doubt very much you know what you want to be when you leave at the moment and you will go through several iterations until you finally decide on something...then in all reality and from historical evidence within 6 months of leaving you will change it again! The options that having a considerable and wide ranging qualification set give are imeasurable...I followed my own advice and worked hard at it for the last 8 years of my time in and I honestly wrote one CV, sent it blind to one company, had one interview and got the job and it was my quals that assisted in this well greased path.
Don't be overly put off by what is on here...There is an old saying (unknown author) that goes along the lines of 'You only have problems if your troops stop complaining and go quiet' so going by the Goats content we are all on happy pills!
Hope this helps
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The grass is greener
The grass is greener
I can only talk from personal experience, but if you are an aircraft techie with trade qualifications from Halton or Cosford, have no fear. You will find that when you leave the nest, that true you dont have the same security, but you will find that you are highly qualified and experienced compared to civvy counterparts. Thier are lots of jobs that you are more than capable and qualified for. I only registered with one recruiting job site , but i still got offered jobs I could apply for every single day, their is a definate shortage of Engineers , and when you combine that with the high regard ex forces are held in, due to their work ethic and ability to adapt and accept change, then I have no doubt that the transition from Raf to ex Raf will not be as difficult as some would think. i make more money than I did in the RAF, I go home every night , I only work 35 hrs, no overtime no weekends. So from my experience of civvy street I would say dont be scared of getting out, look forward to a neew opportunity, to work somewhere, that you get job satisfaction, and are respecred and appreciated for what you have done and what you can do.
The grass is greener
I can only talk from personal experience, but if you are an aircraft techie with trade qualifications from Halton or Cosford, have no fear. You will find that when you leave the nest, that true you dont have the same security, but you will find that you are highly qualified and experienced compared to civvy counterparts. Thier are lots of jobs that you are more than capable and qualified for. I only registered with one recruiting job site , but i still got offered jobs I could apply for every single day, their is a definate shortage of Engineers , and when you combine that with the high regard ex forces are held in, due to their work ethic and ability to adapt and accept change, then I have no doubt that the transition from Raf to ex Raf will not be as difficult as some would think. i make more money than I did in the RAF, I go home every night , I only work 35 hrs, no overtime no weekends. So from my experience of civvy street I would say dont be scared of getting out, look forward to a neew opportunity, to work somewhere, that you get job satisfaction, and are respecred and appreciated for what you have done and what you can do.
Sw EX Fairy
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I totally agree with tubbyj, from my own experience as a ex JT (ONC and 4 O levels) that left in 1999 after 12 years, I have had a number of jobs but have always moved upwards with each move so now getting close to the 50% tax bracket now. With each move my AV techie qualifications (even though I have never worked in the AC industry since I left) has always been seen in civvy street as a great qualification and experience. never have a fear of applying for jobs that require a degree trust me they are looking for guys with experience and usually put a degree requirement down as the HR department do not know better. Be proud of what you have done and achieved in your time in, they are skills that are valued in the real world.
True Blue Jack
Warrant Officer
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I was with you right up until this point. I don't know many companies where the job specifications for the whole outfit are set by the HR Dept. You've been out of the RAF for as long as you were in but you still blame PSF/HR at the first resort. Once a techie, always a techie!
That aside, you make a good point. Don't be put off applying for a job just because you don't meet 100% of the stated criteria.
Usually PSF get the blame because they lose enough paperwork a year to save a small rainforrest,
Jealous of people who did a REAL and RELEVANT job whilst in the RAF?? I see why nobody here likes you.
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As much as I'm enjoying the admin-bashing, I just want to say thank you all for your responses. They will certainly play a part when the time to make a decision comes.
Enjoy your weekend.
Enjoy your weekend.
Really?
Not applied for many civvy jobs then have you?
I have applied for quite a few where upon speaking to the guy who is actually going to read my cover letter, CV and make decisions, he despairs at the complete drivel written by HR in the job spec.
Once a shiny, always a shiny.
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Agreed, I just had to help out our HR department with the latest job spec they'd written for a Graduate Engineer because they couldn't get it right.
The HR Officer didn't even know the difference between a BA and a BSc FFS!!
M
monobrow
Guest
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You tw@t, I've just spat coffee all over my screen, fetch me a new keyboard ROFL etc etc
Have you been hanging around Beeney?
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DT_Xtremez_42:CodeMonkey
Flight Sergeant
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as a non-volunteer
as a non-volunteer
it's been a while since i've posted on here but this thread was an interesting read.
Having gone job hunting and landed a job(not offshore too much like hard work) with a nice payrise i might add, i'd recommend the Security Cleared job fairs if you wish to work in multiple areas outside the mob(not just defence industry btw). Speak to the people there and don't undersell yourself.
My CV got me a lot of interviews.
It's not as bleak a job market as the press would like to make out especially if you have the right skills.
As for the hypothetical offer of staying in, no thanks, my loyalty dissapeared the day i received the letter stating i was no longer required.
as a non-volunteer
it's been a while since i've posted on here but this thread was an interesting read.
Having gone job hunting and landed a job(not offshore too much like hard work) with a nice payrise i might add, i'd recommend the Security Cleared job fairs if you wish to work in multiple areas outside the mob(not just defence industry btw). Speak to the people there and don't undersell yourself.
My CV got me a lot of interviews.
It's not as bleak a job market as the press would like to make out especially if you have the right skills.
As for the hypothetical offer of staying in, no thanks, my loyalty dissapeared the day i received the letter stating i was no longer required.