Shropshire students land dream jobs in the Army and Navy
A Shropshire college is providing a stepping stone to adventure for students considering careers in the armed services.
Telford College of Arts and Technology is currently looking for new recruits to follow in the footsteps of Jake Finch and Gurcharan Mall.
Jake, from Shifnal, has just landed a job with the Royal Navy and is setting sail on a journey to become a fully trained submariner.
And Gurcharan, who lives in Trench, is poised to proudly follow in his grandfather’s footsteps by becoming an Army reservist.
Both signed up for the Public Uniformed Services courses at TCAT, designed to prepare young people for employment with the Army, Navy or RAF.
The daily routine at the Wellington campus includes drill and physical training, followed by a mixture of practical and theoretical sessions.
Visiting speakers provide up-to-date information about career possibilities and explain the application process for their service.
Jane Owen, who heads up the department at TCAT, said: “Jake joined from Idsall School in September 2013. He didn’t really know what to do regarding his career, but was considering the Army.
“It was when the Royal Navy first visited the course that Jake realised he wanted to travel and see a little of the world, whilst also learning new skills.”
Jake sat the Royal Navy Selection Test as part of a selection week at college – which also included a mock interview with a member of the Royal Navy. He passed, and was offered a variety of roles.
Jane said: “It gave Jake some real focus and he settled down to ensure he could pass the remainder of the selection process which included a medical, interview, and a mile and half run in 11 minutes 13 seconds.
“He chose to join the submarine section of the Royal Navy as a warfare operator - a really bold move, and a first for a TCAT Public Service student.”
Jake has just completed his initial Royal Navy training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall, and in the new year he will begin an intensive eight-month programme at the Submarine School in Portsmouth.
Jane said: “This is a great success story for both Jake and the college – it shows the sort of potential which awaits students who sign up for our Public Uniform Services courses at Telford College.”
For Gurcharan Mall, 20, the TCAT course is a stepping stone to fulfilling a long-held family ambition.
“My grandfather served in the Indian army, and was killed in battle in 1965,” he explained. “As a result, I have been brought up in a family with a lot of military history.
“I’ve grown up looking at the uniform. From the age of six or seven I remember dressing up in military clothes, so to get on this course really is a dream come true for me. It has been brilliant.”
Gurcharan, from Trench in Telford, has been on the Public Uniform Services course since September 2013, and has now applied to become an army reservist.
“The course has been fabulous,” he said. “Outside the classroom, we have been rock climbing, abseiling, kayaking and taken on many other teambuilding activities.
“You have to be a team player if you want a career in the military, because the belief is that together, everyone achieves more.”
And Gurcharan’s advice to anyone considering signing up for the course?
“If you like to be challenged, like the chance to get out and about, and enjoy keeping fit, you will absolutely love it.
“I’d like to say a big thanks to all the public services staff who have believed in me and supported me.
“I truly believe there is not a better public service course, because all of the staff are ex-service people themselves, from different uniform services, giving us the widest possible range of experience.”
