Career opportunities after serving in an infantry unit?

effluent

I'm just wondering what benefits would you get for serving in an infantry type role as opposed to learning a trade or specialising on a role pertinent to your degree/qualification.

I allways thought about joining the PDF (as a private/not eligible to be an officer) after I graduated from college. But the way things are here the chances are I'll be too old to join by the time they start recruiting again.

I have had an interest in the Royal Marines and the RAF regiment. My fitness is not too far off from the Royal Marine standard, not saying I'd be good enough to pass out as one. Royal Marine speaks for itself. I know the RAF reg seems to get joked about a lot. But when you look at the training they get, pay, work conditions and its history, it seems a pretty good regiment to be in.

I should also mention that I'm very keen to work in an area likened to a gamekeeper/fisheries officer. I've only worked on a temporary basis in this area and I think serving in an infantry type role would be very beneficial. In my opinion you would come out with better communication skills, team work experience, leadership skills (progressing to corporal/sergeant). I'd also guess that it would benefit you if you were interested law enforcement or security work. Is there anything else, or are these just cliches thrown around?

krissovo

You answered your own question in your post. The military gives you lots of transferable skills and to add to your own list: First Aid, basic fire fighting, stress management, personal presentation, field craft, time keeping, fitness, ability to think under pressure, map reading, planning, spacial awareness.........

What I have noticed is that the ex military lads can with limited training turn their hand to any career after the forces if they have the balls to go for it. You will find that put a civi and a ex military lad in the same role the military will shine and go through promotions faster.

Most notable examples where I have come across ex military lads

Business Continuity - Planning and emergency response, lots of ex-forces do these (highly paid) roles.

Sales - Not cold calling but engagement managers, bid managers, account managers etc

Management - Be it on a production line or services the leadership

Charities - often employ ex military on the ground at humanitarian sites, these lads often run the camps, supply chain

Exploration - oil and minerals teams will again often have a ex military lads on the teams.

Customs, prison service, oil/gas rigs, united nations are all routes for ex servicemen as well.

RAF Regiment - Well trained lads but the boredom of mainly sitting at a airbase and staging on for your career, no thanks!

OS119

given what you'd like to do afterwards, i can't think of many trades that wouldn't give you the outdoor skills that an employer would be looking for.

Submariner, bio-med tech, aircrew perhaps - there's not much, certainly in the BA, where you wouldn't spend a fair bit of time in the field. personally, of your suggestions, i'd go RM - you'll get the lifestyle you're looking for, as well as learning the myriad trades that the RM keep in-house.

sadly, i'd have to say that infantry soldiers find getting civilian work the hardest of anyone leaving the forces - apart from general management and being the 'go to' bloke in an organisation, they have skills that few organisations need. an employer knows that, for example, an ex-Royal Engineers Water Systems Tech (or what ever the hell its called this week) can install, run and maintain a fresh water drinking system in 50c of heat, while he's being mortared, and hasn't had any sleep in a week. for a construction company, he's gold - he'll do the job, solve problems without outside help, and just get it done. few companies need (or, correction, see a way of using) a bloke who can run a fixed defensive position, stage a moving ambush, conduct a 14 day foot patrol and get 6 rounds out of a mortar tube before the first one lands.

obviously Krissovo is correct in outlining some of the things 'non-trades' ex-servicemen can do, but not only are their relatively few of these roles (relative to the number of ex-inf floating around), but it also requires a switched on employer to see how an ex-inf can fit into his organisation - sadly, far too many say 'i don't need to use a mortar - next please'.

effluent

I often hear reports about ex service men from the BA coming home just to find no work or employment. I'm sure there are a lot more reasons to it but it made me think do employers really appreciate skills gained from infantry or is it a thing that the ex service man doesn't convince them how useful their skills are.

I had an application in for the Marines before but put it off becuase of injury issues etc. Having been to a few interviews in my area of interest I think being in infantry would be a huge boost for my cv. Depending on how my next interview goes, I'm going to put in my application in for it (or join the Reserve if I get the job).

I only know a couple of ex infantry (others gained trades etc), they went on to join the police force and one of them made a pretty good career out of it (making detective). I was just seeing what jobs ex infantry go for, but I guess they can go anywhere if you can convience an employer of your skills.

krissovo

The challenge some "grunts" face when they leave the service is that they cannot adapt to a civi professional environment. Also the entry requirements are a lot lower than trade roles in the forces so intelligence can be a challenge for some.

Another point is that many ex forces CV's focus on crap that civi's do not care about, I have seen "Heavy weapons instructor" and "Warrior instructor" wrote on some. These do put civi's off, my CV simply states - Operations Officer / HM Forces with a list roles I performed in civi terminology and key skills I have.

iceage

"Energetic and motivated individual possessing extensive experience and exposure to high paced and demanding environments. Analytical and detail orientated whilst at all times adhering to proper procedures and SOP's, a team player and strong communicator with exceptional negotiation and interpersonal skills who is comfortable also as a sole contributor and able to lead by example.

A freebie blurb for anybody coming out trades or otherwise, who are stuck for a civvie profile.

cruasder777

Theres alot of truckers who are ex army.

Stovepipe

Hi there
I spent two years in the oil and gas industry and it's crawling with ex-ers of all nationalities, operating at every level in the industry. I'd recommend you get a trade or a mechanical skill of some kind. If you are a mech fitter, with experience on diesel repair, for example, you'll get work right away.Problem with a lot of exsoldiers is that they don't often have transferrable skills, such as a HGV license or a trade, so they end up getting basic labouring jobs and they go mad with boredom. Also, a lot don't have any basic computer skills so they can't even get a shout as a storeman or a factory operative.
If you want an outdoorsy job, try Coillte and go for a forestry qualification. I'm not sure by reading your posts that you know exactly what you want.

regards
Stovepipe

dodgydes

I think that the characteristics of an individual that are shaped by military training/service such as attitude, punctuality, adaptability are good assets to have when looking for a job.

The military skills themselves (weapons, etc) are probably not what most employers are looking for.

In my experience, interviewers are impressed by military service, in particular overseas missions, but you would also need to have a strong skill-set in non military areas

effluent

Being a graduate I already have a skill per say. What put me off joining the PDF was the fact that most who left usually ended up with jobs such as carpenters/electricians/mechanics after they left, and it wouldn't be something I'd be interested in personally. Which is why I have an interest in infantry roles

cruasder777

effluent wrote: »

Being a graduate I already have a skill per say. What put me off joining the PDF was the fact that most who left usually ended up with jobs such as carpenters/electricians/mechanics after they left, and it wouldn't be something I'd be interested in personally. Which is why I have an interest in infantry roles

Ex Guards officers often go into jobs in the city of London.

krissovo

effluent wrote: »

Being a graduate I already have a skill per say.

If you join as a officer then there are no real issues getting a decent job, Sandhurst on CV with experience of leading men is a giant dangling carrot to employers. Totally different ball game to non coms, the networking channels open to former officers is second to none which is why the city of London is popular for ex officers.

Steer clear of the guards unless you have a second income, monthly mess bills are higher than Lt's salary;)

effluent

Yeah I've come to know that the Gaurd regiments are pretty prestigious regiments alright!