Junior soldier from Exeter passes out in military graduation parade

Hundreds of Junior Soldiers – including 17-year-old Charlie Fanson from Exeter – celebrated their graduation on Thursday in a military passing out parade at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The passing out parade marks the completion of the soldiers’ British Army Junior Entry training at Uniacke Barracks, where they are all paid to train.

They will now go on to serve in various Corps and Regiments of the British Army to begin the next part of their specialist training, where they will learn how to do their jobs at home and abroad. Junior Entry soldiers go on to become engineers, IT specialists, infantry soldiers, as well as more technical specialists.

The prestigious ceremony is the culmination of many months of hard work and determination from all the Junior Soldiers graduating. Their final training exercise is an intense, 7-day Battle Camp taking place in various training areas across the UK encompassing all the training they’ve learned during their time at AFC Harrogate.

A role in the British Army provides people with the opportunity to do an exciting job away from the mundane nine to five, and develop a sense of belonging that is difficult to achieve in any other job. Not only does it open up adventure and travel opportunities, it also offers the potential to continue education through apprenticeships and further qualifications, after passing out from AFC Harrogate.

Junior Soldier Fanson, who studied at Isca Academy in Exeter, will go on to serve with the Rifles. He said: “Graduating from AFC Harrogate in front of my friends and family is something that I am very proud of doing. As a Junior Soldier you learn core life skills such as leadership, teamwork and determination. I have made loads of friends and met new people, and have become much more confident in my own ability. I’ve been paid really well for someone of my age and I’ve got some really useful qualifications. I’m now really looking forward to the next stage of my Army career.”

Lieutenant Colonel W J Strickland, Commanding Officer AFC Harrogate, said: “All the Junior Soldiers passing out today should be proud of all that they have achieved during their time at AFC Harrogate. The training these Junior Soldiers go through is tough, but undeniably leads to excellent opportunities for personal and career development and allows people’s talents and skills to shine through.

“In choosing an Army career you will belong to one of the most respected organisations in the world, be able to pursue a job that will make a positive difference to society and develop unique and lasting bonds of friendship. The Army will invest in your future development, and all Junior Soldiers are trained and offered skills and qualifications that can be used to grow a career within the Army or used in a civilian career.”

Every year, AFC Harrogate takes in up to 1,632 school-leavers in two intakes (March and September). Unlike civilian jobs, the Army pays Junior Soldiers a full salary to train from day one, paying more than £1,000 a month. Once the Junior Soldiers have graduated they can expect regular pay reviews and clear promotion paths, as well as 38 days leave a year.

There are thousands of full-time and part-time jobs available in the Army, across hundreds of different roles. Some of the roles available now include: bricklayers, electricians, communications specialists, logistics specialists, drivers, HR, engineers, welders, veterinary technicians, musicians, environment health technicians, health care assistants and infantry soldiers.

As the UK’s largest apprenticeship provider, the Army offers apprenticeships in more than 45 technical trades in engineering, construction, IT, animal care, logistics and telecommunications and 500 different educational qualifications – from GCSEs to degrees, after they pass out from AFC Harrogate.

For more information about the exciting job opportunities with the Army, visit http://www.army.mod.uk/belong