Careers in the RAF

While the rest of the Royal Air Force might not suggest the same sort of glamour and excitement as taking control of a combat plane, it does – like the army – offer a wide range of careers. Pilot recruits who don’t make it into a Tornado fighter jet could still find themselves flying multi-engine planes or helicopters.

There are over 50 different trades available to RAF recruits – from aerospace battle managers and weapons systems officers to catering and office work – all of which come with job security, opportunities for service in foreign countries, the chance of promotion to officer rank, and the potential to earn a good salary.

RAF requirements

Each position requires different levels of ability and fitness, and some are more demanding than others, with stricter requirements. However, you will also learn skills that can transfer to civilian life when you leave, and you can also study to gain qualifications while in the RAF.

There are around 50,000 people in full-time service in the RAF and requirements for different jobs vary. While you have to be physically fit and free from pre-existing medical conditions or injuries to become a pilot – other opportunities are available if you’ve been ruled out as a pilot.

You don’t have to be a British citizen to sign up, but some of the RAF’s positions have stricter nationality requirements. For example, the air force’s police is made up entirely of personnel who have been British citizens since birth or who hold dual nationality with Britain and another country.

Visit the RAF careers website to find out what positions are open to you. This will give you an indication of how your academic qualifications can be best put to use in the RAF, what age you must be to begin training and what the minimum service requirements are.

Depending on the job you go for, you’ll have to commit for six months to 12 years, with salaries starting from £24,500 or more.

Joining the RAF

Staff at your local Air Force careers office, which can be found in the phone book or on Yell.com, will be able to advise on the best position for you in the RAF. They will also be able to lead you through the application process that can take between five and 18 months to complete.

Application and training stages include aptitude and ability tests to judge memory, spatial reasoning and skill with electrics, selection interviews health assessments. There are also fitness tests, which vary depending on your age and gender.

Your careers office will also be able to explain the possibilities of a university bursary – a sponsorship scheme that could make a financial contribution towards your studies on an RAF-approved degree course. If you accept a bursary, you will be expected to join the University Air Squadron – a volunteer reserve force – and then the RAF proper after graduation.

You cannot be excluded from the RAF on the grounds of gender, religion, race, sexuality or marital status, and you might even be able to join if you have a criminal record – as long as you declare it immediately.

For more information, vsit the RAF careers and RAF websites, or see the UK Net Guide articles Joining the Army and Joining the Royal Navy.