About the RAF Apprenticeship

Benefits

A career in the RAF offers a variety of benefits, from bonuses to a gym membership and discounts for you and your partner.

  • Salaries range from £15,220 - £39,000 depending on the role, with pay starting from the beginning.
  • Daily living costs in the RAF are dramatically lower, meaning you will retain more disposable cash.
  • The RAF offer sporting and training opportunities that develop vital military skills. Talented personnel are allowed to compete at the highest level, with time off for training and subsidise travel, entry fees and equipment costs.
  • RAF personnel are given excellent private healthcare and dental care for free and readily available.
  • The RAF provides some of the best training across many roles and subjects, many of which are award winning apprenticeships. Basic training will be given first to get you accustomed to military life, with specialist training to follow.

Roles

Air and Ground Steward

Air Operations Officer

Air Operations Systems

Aircraft Technician (Avionics)

Aircraft Technician (Mechanical)

Chef

Communications Infrastructure Technician

Cyberspace Communication Specialist

Electrician

Firefighter

Intelligence Analyst

Driver

Mover

Personnel Operations Officer

Photographer

RAF Medic

RAF Police

RAF Regiment Gunner

Survival Equipment Specialist

Vehicle and Mechanical Equipment Technician

Weapon Technician

Roles in the RAF

Hear from personnel as the give a unique insight into the variety of roles keeping the Air Force operating every day, from Logistics to Military Working Dogs and RAF Firefighters.

They also discuss their day-to-day life in the RAF, as no day is the same.

#NoOrdinaryJob

Application process

  • Aptitude Test
  • Selection Interviews
  • Health Assessment
  • Fitness Test
  • Pre-Recruit Training
  • Acceptance
  • Training

To begin a Regular application, call 0345 605 5555 or complete the regular registration form.

Sponsorship

Hopeful Engineers or Medical Officers could receive sponsorship through university. This will provide a Bursary or Cadetship that covers tuition fees.

Contact the Medical, Dental and Physiotherapist Specialist Recruitment Team on 01400 266811 or

Email: [email protected] for their programme dates and to book your place on a presentation.

Reserves

Royal Air Force Reserves can balance their own careers and home life, with the challenge and excitement of a RAF career, alongside Regular personnel.

Spare-time roles are available from 18 right up to 54 years old (you must attest before your 55th birthday).

For Reserve applications call: 0345 606 9069

See what life is like at RAF Brize Norton, the Royal Air Force's largest base.

Find your role here

You can have an exciting and fulfilling career in the RAF, if you meet the entry requirements specific to your role and are successful through all stages of the application process.

FAQ's

What do visits involve?

This depends on the number of students, facilities and time available. Core offerings include attending Careers Fairs, carrying out Careers Presentations and delivering low key Personal Development Training.

All activities align with the Gatsby Benchmark principles to provide the best quality services and advice for your students.

How will a RAF visit benefit students?

Many students may not have interacted with military personnel and do not realise the variety of roles offered in the RAF, as well as all its benefits. Some are not aware of what a career is like in the RAF, or may have not even considered it as a career - with roles ranging from engineering to photography, music, medicine, logistics and much more.

Students are encouraged to question our staff on their experience to gain a clearer insight and learn from the personnel's extensive knowledge on Service life; from where personnel have travelled, what they have done, the highs and lows of a careers in the RAF, and more.

The RAF Engagement team deliver informative Careers Brief and deliver Personal Development Training to help develop soft skills employers look for (such as communication, leadership and team work) to help educate and prepare students for a working career and one with the RAF. 

Are staff DBS checked?

All staff hold DBS certificates. Please ask for these when booking staff or they can bring them on the day of the event.

Will military or civilian staff attend?

All Careers Engagement events are delivered by military personnel while other staff volunteer to carry out Careers Engagement.

How long are sessions?

Rough timing are provided on the website. The team realise schools have curricula priorities, so we can be flexible by tailoring our sessions to suit your timetable. We can also deliver back-to-back sessions that see an entire year group on the same day.

What do you need to provide?

Staff bring everything required to deliver sessions. For Personal Development Training, we require an outdoor space or sports hall for inclement weather and we request a classroom to deliver the careers brief part.

Access to a projector with HMDI access allows us to connect our IT equipment, which saves transferring large files. Access to WIFI is helpful, but not essential.

Do we collect information from students?

No personal data is collected. Anyone interested in joining the RAF will be directed to the RAF Careers Website.

Sometimes students may ask specific questions that the team need to seek further advice. On these occasions we usually give students a business card and ask them to contact us and a member of staff will be notified any case.

Are there follow up visits?

If resources allow, the team are happy to make return visits or come see other year groups.

Can you visit a RAF Station?

Yes, the team can arrange visits to several stations that are tailored to the interests of the students. We can also arrange visits to sections that deal with career areas that the students are interested in too.