The Army Bercary Scheme

[sharp88]

Yesterday morning, during tutorials at my local college, where I'm studying plumbing, the Army's new recruitment scheme was brought up by the tutor. There are posters everywhere. Turns out, the Army is paying engineers, electrician and plumbing students £300 odd the first term, £750 the second and a £1000 for the third, in exchange for service.

Quite frankly, I was disgusted and what surprised me the most was that a fair few of my coconut headed mates put there names down for it. Doing service is fine under normal choice and circumstances, but tempting ignorent little chavs with cash bait is wrong. Im sickened by the greed of my college to sponsor this and I've already said my piece to my tutor, whom agreed with my view.

Has anyone else in college encountered this? What do you think about it?

 

[gilly0802]

what age range is your college?

it could be argued that they have been doing this for years with university burserys (i know i am just starting one with the RAF, and i "signed up" and did the selection (full OASC) for that aged 15)

and a bit of personal opinion but wouldn't service help said "little chavs" with direction and purpose? or am i just another victim of the military propaganda

 

[saddle_tramp]

Doing service is fine under normal choice and circumstances, but tempting ignorent little chavs with cash bait is wrong.

Maybe theres more exciting things to do at 17/18 than plumbing college, and the cash is just a bonus?

 

[verloc]

lol now it makes sense what an Army bercary scheme is, I thought I was going mad there for a moment,

Army bursary schemes are fine and I always regret not signing up as a WEO (Weapons engineer officer) in the Navy when I was at Uni, I cant remember the figures they were offering me but they were bloody good!

When you say "in exchange for service" I assume this is a full time signed up squaddie for which pay will be given anyway, so in fact its £2000 to do the course and then a job at the end of it don't sound too bad, at the end of the day I'm sure the local recruiters will provide more info when anyone expresses an interest to them - it's more hassle than it's worth otherwise.

Just my tuppence worth.

 

[Tor helge]

You say doing service under normal choise and circumstances. What is that?
The soldiers in your army are paid to do their job. If the army has difficulties recruting enough of the right people what is wrong with a little extra pay?
I presume that your fellow students are able to think for themselves.

Tor

 

[sharp88]

what age range is your college?

it could be argued that they have been doing this for years with university burserys (i know i am just starting one with the RAF, and i "signed up" and did the selection (full OASC) for that aged 15)

and a bit of personal opinion but wouldn't service help said "little chavs" with direction and purpose? or am i just another victim of the military propaganda

Mostly fresh out of school, except for me and a 30 year old latin bloke.

 

[Greg]

Its definately nothing new, I was offered £3K to sign back up because there is a shortage in my trade group, which I refused.
But they are paying guys in the army a lump sum "Bonus" (Taxable of course ) now to encourage them to stay in.
I'm not sure what it is now but when I got out 6yrs ago it was £2000 at 3yrs, £3000 at 5yrs and £3000 at 8yrs.
Class 1 Radio & Systems Techs were being offered £10,000 to stay in!

So like I say its nothing new and definately not surprising!

 

[sharp88]

You say doing service under normal choise and circumstances. What is that?
The soldiers in your army are paid to do their job. If the army has difficulties recruting enough of the right people what is wrong with a little extra pay?
I presume that your fellow students are able to think for themselves.

Tor

Its just all sparkle though isn't it. Its like bait. Normal circumstances I would say is like a bloke who has wanted to be in the army since a little kid or is desperate for a living. Alot more money can be made in the long run as a civilian plumber. I suppose there arent really many like that, its all propaganda afterall.

 

[sharp88]

lol now it makes sense what an Army bercary scheme is, I thought I was going mad there for a moment,

Army bursary schemes are fine and I always regret not signing up as a WEO (Weapons engineer officer) in the Navy when I was at Uni, I cant remember the figures they were offering me but they were bloody good!

When you say "in exchange for service" I assume this is a full time signed up squaddie for which pay will be given anyway, so in fact its £2000 to do the course and then a job at the end of it don't sound too bad, at the end of the day I'm sure the local recruiters will provide more info when anyone expresses an interest to them - it's more hassle than it's worth otherwise.

Just my tuppence worth.

I think there sticking them in the Engineers after the Lvl.3 Plumbing apprenticeship.

 

[Wallenstein]

My brothers ex-girlfriend was sponsored at Oxford Uni by the army... she got money for three years, then decided on a "live fire" exercise in her final year that she couldn't take it. Had to pay back all the cash, so you need to be sure it's what you want when you sign up!

 

[gilly0802]

My brothers ex-girlfriend was sponsored at Oxford Uni by the army... she got money for three years, then decided on a "live fire" exercise in her final year that she couldn't take it. Had to pay back all the cash, so you need to be sure it's what you want when you sign up!

that happens i bit with the scheme of things i'm on... currently quad service we started with about 180ish in our years intake, and we down to about 150/160. but as said before, they all have to pay back the money...which after 2years of alevels, and 3/4 years of uni, is quite a bit. I know the minimum service we have (as officers) is 6 years service. i dont know what it's like as a squadie, but there is still time to make a decent living as a civvy plumber, with the advantage of time in the army on your CV

 

[crazyclimber]

tempting ignorent little chavs with cash bait is wrong

Firstly I'd say you need a little more respect for your peers

Im sickened by the greed of my college to sponsor this

Well your college needs to get money from somewhere. If the army's offering it for a few posters I wouldn't blame them. SOMEONE needs to pay

I've already said my piece to my tutor, whom agreed with my view.

And yet presumably your tutor is also being paid?

Really IMO you should take a chill pill no offence, but if people want to join up they can and will, nobody is forcing them. 'Golden hello's are used by a lot of organisations and few people would join the Army if they weren't being paid for it. In this case you're just being paid a bit more and sooner.

 

[SMARTY]

Sharp88 Its been going on for ever, and always will. Military recruiting has to try to reach all areas of the population. If you think that is bad, see how much they pay trained doctors, dentists and clergy. All those who sign up are volunteers and have the option to get out during initial basic training. I think that your college should be congratulated for supporting this country's armed forces through recruiting. It makes sense to let someone else pay for the training. When you think about it its the same as being trained by the council and working for someone else after your apprenticeship is done.
In the military you get free work clothes, free tools and materials and pay at the same time.Don't knock it till you have tried it!!!!!!!!!!!. My son is serving in the army on a similar scheme. He loves it and as a father I'm proud of him doing his bit for Queen and country, and not whinging about how other people get a better deal and how much college fees cost and the like. It is worth remembering that the reason you are safe at college is because of men an women doing their bit for the likes of you and me.
There is another thread that I would suggest you look at. It go's something like this: HOW MANY OF US HAVE MILITARY CONNECTIONS

 

[Toddy]

Thirty years ago I sat the aptitude tests for the RAF in Glasgow........most Scots kids stayed at home while at Uni then, and my brother and I in the same house was a nightmare.......it seemed a reasonable way to get out, get trained while being fed, clothed, housed and educated.

Problem was I did really well on those damned tests, and they decided they wanted to send me to Glasgow Uni to do an Engineering degree, and spend my out of term time learning to be an officer Not only would I get my grants, I'd get a salary and a housing allowance during term time to stay near the University, and if I did research for my doctorate that would be considered 'beneficial' then they would continue supporting me through that too.

(My father raised Cain and because the services are run under English law and that meant that at just turned eighteen I needed him to sign the papers. Eventually he reluctantly agreed but by that time I was so p*ssed off I said I'd just wait until I was 21 and didn't need him to sign them............spent my 21st in maternity hopital having son1 instead )

This bounty has been going on for an awful long, long time. It's nothing new, but I agree that sometimes (frequently ) the bribe and peer pressure might well sway some rather naive youngster into a course of action perhaps not to his best interest.
That said, any job is what you make of it, and the armed services certainly provides a living and a training.

atb,
Toddy

 

[leon-1]

Yesterday morning, during tutorials at my local college, where I'm studying plumbing, the Army's new recruitment scheme was brought up by the tutor. There are posters everywhere. Turns out, the Army is paying engineers, electrician and plumbing students £300 odd the first term, £750 the second and a £1000 for the third, in exchange for service.

Good for the army, at last they are getting their act together.

Quite frankly, I was disgusted and what surprised me the most was that a fair few of my coconut headed mates put there names down for it.

Nice opinion you have there of your mates, do they know you that you think of them in this way?

Doing service is fine under normal choice and circumstances, but tempting ignorent little chavs with cash bait is wrong. Im sickened by the greed of my college to sponsor this and I've already said my piece to my tutor, whom agreed with my view.

Under normal choice and circumstances?

Is there someone holding a gun to their heads?

Tempting Ignorant little chavs?

Once again that's a lovely way to describe the guys that you are working with and having served with the forces for a long time I will say that they won't be ignorant or chavs when they return from terms of service with the armed forces.

In the old days people were given cash incentive for joining up for a longer period of time, if they decided to leave before that period had elapsed they did a thing called PVR (Paid Voluntary Release) where they also had to pay back the extra money they had been paid for signing up for that period.

It is nothing unusual, if you are in breach of contract in civvy street you can be sued, at least the Army has a "get out of jail free card" that can be played.

Your college has probably a need for the money so that they can then provide you with the education that you want, in turn your tutor is being paid using these funds and if it is so fundamentally wrong and against his point of view he can always resign and get a job somewhere else.

Remember in the long term those "ignorant little chavs" may be the ones protecting you and your family from harm in the future so have a little respect for them and those "ignorant little chavs" that came before them.

Incidentally from an ex ignorant little chav, it's BURSARY.

 

[Aaron]

I havent got a problem with it - the forces need to recruit skilled trades just like everyone else. If you want to see an agressive recruitment campaign watch Michael Moore's 'Faranheit 9/11', where two USMC drill sergeants can be seen stalking the shopping malls in a small American town, collaring slothful looking youths and grilling them as to why they havent signed up yet, before putting them in taxi's down to the nearest recruitment office. Better still contemplate the fact that if you had been born in any european country other than the UK you would be having to do compulsory military service around the age you are now.

I am in the process of enlisting into the regulars at the moment- I am bored in my job, have no dependants, want a challenge, the opportunity to travel and the chance to make some good mates. I dont know if the term 'little chav' would apply - I am 5'8" and grew up on a council estate - but sadly no training bonuses, air miles, luncheon vouchers or any other bonuses were mentioned, but then I'm fik innit.

 

[Andy2112]

Quite frankly, I was disgusted and what surprised me the most was that a fair few of my coconut headed mates put there names down for it.

Excuse my ignorance but what's a coconut headed mate ????? confused

Are you referring to a specific creed ??

 

[Mikey P]

Mostly fresh out of school, except for me and a 30 year old latin bloke.

A latin bloke? What, like 'Naughtius Maximus'?

 

[spamel]

Well, whatever views I may have on the issue will stay personal to me, but as somebody who left the Royal Engineers just over a year ago, I can assure you they will not use their plumbing skills very often.

 

[Greg]

I know one thing is for sure, I left school with next to no qualifications and if I hadn't got the trade I did in the army, then I wouldn't have the good life and job I do today which pays me a hell of a lot more than any plumbers I know! And I only work 12 days a month!