Join as a soldier
Army Apprenticeship Programme
The Army is one of the largest apprenticeship employer-providers in the UK with around 14,000 soldiers on one of 43 nationally recognised apprenticeship programmes at any one time.
Your apprenticeship will be planned to fit around your military training and relate closely to your role. That means that as well as becoming a better soldier, you’ll be working towards a qualification that will also be valued by employers outside of the Army. You can choose an apprenticeship from one of the following areas:
- Public services and health
- Engineering
- Telecommunications
- Animal care
- Information technology
- Logistics
- Construction
- Business administration
Join as an Officer
Army Higher Education Pathway
Thinking about a career as an Army Officer but don’t have a degree? With the Army Higher Education Pathway (AHEP), you can earn a competitive salary and work towards a fully funded degree at the same time.
The AHEP provides opportunities for those who successfully pass out from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to achieve a bachelor’s degree in Leadership and Strategic Studies from the University of Reading’s Henley Business School. If you already hold a degree on joining, the pathway allows you to study for a master’s degree in Leadership and Strategic Studies.
Your degree studies will begin at the same time as your Commissioning Course and will continue throughout your early career as a lieutenant and captain.
Soldier apprenticeships
The type and level of apprenticeship that you do will depend on your chosen role in the Army. The three levels of apprenticeships on offer to soldiers when they join are:
- Level 2 Apprenticeship – equivalent to five good GCSE passes.
- Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship – equivalent to two A-Level passes and available for those joining more technical trades.
- Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship – available to some niche trades on joining and to some trades later in a soldier’s career.
No matter what job you choose, the Army offers the opportunity to gain professional skills and progress to higher qualifications, including full bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Technical corps like the Royal Engineers or the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers will support you in gaining civilian qualifications, such as gaining Chartered Engineer status. Many soldiers also become qualified instructors or leaders for adventurous training activities, so this is a great chance to take your interests to the next level.
