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British Army push for officers after drop in recruits
The British Army is launching its first recruitment campaign to attract new officers in almost 10 years after a fall in numbers choosing such a career
The British Army is launching its first recruitment campaign to attract new officers in almost 10 years after a fall in numbers choosing such a career.
Last year just 81% of posts were filled at Sandhurst, the officer training academy, and the number of graduates and school leavers opting for a career as an Army officer has been in steep decline.
The drop-off reflects a steady fall in graduate recruitment into the armed forces as a whole over the last decade, with numbers 27% lower than in 2005.
The recruitment drive will see the Army visit universities across the UK in the next six weeks to showcase the benefits of a career as an officer, focusing on leadership, challenges and adventure.
Potential recruits can try a virtual reality Sandhurst obstacle course and a parachute jump, test their fitness in a virtual 'bleep' test to see if they can beat an Army physical training instructor, and hone their leadership skills in an interactive winter aid exercise.
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