What's life like in the RAF after basic/trade training....

[wench02]

Yes I know it's possibly rather too large to answer in two sentences... however, I have been wondering about a couple of points...


So you have done RTC/trade training... you are then sent out into the big wide world. Do you tend to carry on doing "your" trade, or when you go up the racking structure, do you tend to get put onto different things (just thinking about the instructors etc at Halton)? The current job I do, I could be doing for the next 30 years, which has a progression route as you become more senior/experienced. Just wondering if this is what the RAF is like, or if you tend to end up doing other stuff!

Secondly... do they tend to keep you busy after trade training. My dad reckons I will be sat around not doing much, however I suspect he is a little misguided on this one!

 

[JTforever]

Depends on many things - rank/trade/current posting etc etc.

You can stick with your trade or you may volunteer (or be sent regardless!) to do jobs like instructor, careers office etc.

The RAF is 'doing more with less' so you'll certainly be sat around less than people were a few years ago. You might not be sat about at all - some sections are very busy whereas others are not so. Just the luck of the draw.

I'd rather be busy than sat about all day, time drags when you aren't busy.

 

[Barch]

Depends on many things - rank/trade/current posting etc etc.

You can stick with your trade or you may volunteer (or be sent regardless!) to do jobs like instructor, careers office etc.

The RAF is 'doing more with less' so you'll certainly be sat around less than people were a few years ago. You might not be sat about at all - some sections are very busy whereas others are not so. Just the luck of the draw.

I'd rather be busy than sat about all day, time drags when you aren't busy.

That doesn't help improve your Darts & Uckers though does it?

 

[Kim Wipe]

Depends on your trade and you! The opportunities are there, but 9 out of 10 times you have to find them. To say you will be sat on your arse doing nothing is (no disrespect to your dad) but that's something said by someone who has no idea what actually happens. There is a blinkered view that the armed forces only deal with things abroad, however I'd like to think that the Limpics and strikes would put paid to that idea!

Within most trades there are specialisation routes you can take but as I said before, It's what you make of it. Whoever said don't volunteer for anything had no idea what they were on about. Get your name on FD opportunities, courses volunteer for dets and the rewards will come, trust me!

 

[LilStill]

I'll echo the above, there is more out there than you could possibly keep up with - but noone will hand it to you. The RAF will give you the day job, it is down to you to take or create any extra opportunities! As an AC I took part in thousands of pounds worth of activities, FD, charity work, clubs and societies. As an LAC - I with my colleagues organised more of the above.

I have flown over Silverstone, stewarded a horse race, spent countless hours on charity work, worked at the RAF Leuchars airshow, run a triathlon for RAFBF, had the opportunity to visit France, Belgium and Holland, spent 10 days on adventure training, visited an Army parade for some jointery, I've marched through London, Thame and Winchester, went paintballing with work in the name of Force Development - and shot a Sqn Ldr in the face.

I'm an Air Cadet instructor and get to take part in hundreds of hours of their activities as well as teach and develop some yoofs. I am well on my way to training as a clinical team member for an RAF first response charity.

Later this year I (should be) climbing Sennegot tower/aerial/thing, marching through Cambridgeshire airfields for some history, undertaking the Trenchard/Battle of Britain walk in London, and starting preparations to take my air cadets to Nijmegan Marches in 2014.

I have been in the RAF 14 months. There's nothing to hold you back from anything you want to do.

 

[ninjarabbi]

Lilstill; what trade are you?

 

[Barch]

Lilstill; what trade are you?

According to his/her profile ...

Tradeersonnel (Support)

Station History:RAF Halton, DCLPA Worthy Down, RAF Scampton

 

[ninjarabbi]

Thanks Barch, DII wouldn't let me access the info this morning. I only ask because I want to retrade to LilStill's TG!DT_Xtremez_30: