Army/Air Corps cadet vs Recruit

Bowiefan45

Hi..my son is in L.C and wants to join Air Corp or Army as a cadet but says he will enlist as a recruit if he doesn't get cadetship (which is likely as cadetships are few). I am advising him to go to college while applying for cadetship as it could take a few years of applications. He thinks that he could transfer from recruits to cadets once in the army (dont know the time line for this) and so no need for college. I don't agree and think a college degree is the better route while applying for cadetship. Any thoughts or experience out there of this?

Ciaran.m

Bowiefan45 wrote: »

Hi..my son is in L.C and wants to join Air Corp or Army as a cadet but says he will enlist as a recruit if he doesn't get cadetship (which is likely as cadetships are few). I am advising him to go to college while applying for cadetship as it could take a few years of applications. He thinks that he could transfer from recruits to cadets once in the army (dont know the time line for this) and so no need for college. I don't agree and think a college degree is the better route while applying for cadetship. Any thoughts or experience out there of this?

Hi. Im currently waiting on a enlistment date to start recruit training. Your son is right he can go in as a recruit and when the cadetships start he can most definatly apply for it. But it may be be better if he went to collage and got a degree which takes a few years i believe. Because they are more inclined to take on people with collage education, but saying that if he did decide to do recruit training it is a big plus for him as they would be more inclined to take a trained soldier then a civvie but it goes both ways its totally a matter of choice. Talk with him and ask him what he feels right. I will try for a cadetship in a few years through the army and i just finished my lc and collage wasnt for me.

SeanD123

Bowiefan45 wrote: »

Hi..my son is in L.C and wants to join Air Corp or Army as a cadet but says he will enlist as a recruit if he doesn't get cadetship (which is likely as cadetships are few). I am advising him to go to college while applying for cadetship as it could take a few years of applications. He thinks that he could transfer from recruits to cadets once in the army (dont know the time line for this) and so no need for college. I don't agree and think a college degree is the better route while applying for cadetship. Any thoughts or experience out there of this?

Hi, I applied for both the Air Corps Cadetship and Army Recruit in 2016 (my leaving cert year). I had to make the same decision as your son and in the end I decided to continue with my recruit application rather than go to college. I'm currently waiting to start training.
In the interviews of the Cadetship competition, having a level 8 Hons degree will give you a 10% bonus where as serving as a soldier will give you a 7% bonus. While serving as a soldier doesn't quite give the same bonus percentage Ifeel it would be a great asset in both the Cadetship competition and also the military training, it is for these reasons I decided to go into the army as a recruit rather than go to college. Hope this helps and good luck to your son!

Stev3G187

Bowiefan45 wrote: »

Hi..my son is in L.C and wants to join Air Corp or Army as a cadet but says he will enlist as a recruit if he doesn't get cadetship (which is likely as cadetships are few). I am advising him to go to college while applying for cadetship as it could take a few years of applications. He thinks that he could transfer from recruits to cadets once in the army (dont know the time line for this) and so no need for college. I don't agree and think a college degree is the better route while applying for cadetship. Any thoughts or experience out there of this?

Tell him don't be stupid and to go to college as it stands more to him. If he is that serious tell him to do a course that he can graduate after two years and three and four so if he applies and gets called he is still coming out with something.

I'm 24 and just finishing my five years of college and all of my mates in the army have at least a level 8 degree. Some like me have a masters

LockSpeedster

SeanD123 wrote: »

Bowiefan45 wrote: »

Hi..my son is in L.C and wants to join Air Corp or Army as a cadet but says he will enlist as a recruit if he doesn't get cadetship  (which is likely as cadetships are few).  I am advising him to go to college while applying for cadetship as it could take a few years of applications.   He thinks that he could transfer from recruits to cadets once in the army (dont know the time line for this) and so no need for college.  I don't agree and think a college degree is the better route while applying for cadetship. Any thoughts or experience out there of this?

Hi, I applied for both the Air Corps Cadetship and Army Recruit in 2016 (my leaving cert year). I had to make the same decision as your son and in the end I decided to continue with my recruit application rather than go to college. I'm currently waiting to start training.
In the interviews of the Cadetship competition, having a level 8 Hons degree will give you a 10% bonus where as serving as a soldier will give you a 7% bonus. While serving as a soldier doesn't quite give the same bonus percentage Ifeel it would be a great asset in both the Cadetship competition and also the military training, it is for these reasons I decided to go into the army as a recruit rather than go to college. Hope this helps and good luck to your son!

Hi! I'm new here. Just a quick correction: this year you don't get bonus marks for applying as a graduate. The only bonus marks are the following:

• Serving NCO in the Permanent Defence Force 8%
• Serving Private in the Permanent Defence Force 6%
• Serving Officer or NCO in the Reserve Defence Force 3%
• Serving Private in the Reserve Defence Force 2%
As can be seen, the bonus mark for being a soldier changes from service to service. It's not 7%.