British Army - HM Forces Serviceperson (Protective Services) - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship – Find an apprenticeship

Summary

An opportunity to embark on a full-time career in the British Army in the Infantry. Operations, peace-keeping missions, the front line - as an Infantry Soldier, you'll be among the most active soldiers in the Army, with an incredibly varied, exciting role.

Wage: £25,200 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: HM forces serviceperson (protective services) (level 2)
Hours: Shift and working patterns may vary. Working locations will vary nationally depending on the apprenticeship and working requirements. Days and times to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
Possible start date: Thursday 1 January
Duration: 1 year
Positions available: 400

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Highly skilled. Extremely fit. Always ready for the next challenge. The British Army’s Infantry Soldiers are respected throughout the world. From disaster relief to protecting the nation, nothing compares to the fast-changing life of the Infantry. You’ll be at the heart of the action, working to keep vulnerable communities safe and prevent conflict, doing something that really matters. Whatever you’re doing or where you are in the world, you’ll work and train alongside other highly skilled close-combat professionals. They’re there to help you through whatever life throws at you, on operations, on exercise or on the sports field –⁠ it’s belonging like nothing else and they’ll become friends for life. With the chance to gain qualifications, you will learn and move up the ranks too.

This occupation is found in the public sector only and specifically within HM Forces. The HM Forces is a large employer. The role is utilised by the ground troops of all three services, who could find their workplace to be UK based or on foreign soil, dependent on HM Government direction.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide defence to the United Kingdom, incorporating peace keeping duties such as United Nations Peacekeeping in Cyprus, support/assistance to civilian tasks, for example building Nightingale Hospitals during the COVID epidemic, disaster relief such as helping to shore up river banks during major flooding within the UK, and working abroad as directed by HM Government. The HM Forces Serviceperson will be part of the first response ground troops from the Army. They will work individually and as a team, potentially at all hours, in all weathers and across all terrains, as is required to fulfil the requirements of the specified organisational objectives.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation typically interacts with colleagues and their line management chain from the Army. The HM Forces Serviceperson could be assigned to work within the wider HM Forces environment and may be required to take direction from line management of an alternative service or take direction from other nations or other government departments. This is dependent on the HM Forces Serviceperson's duties, tasks and locations.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring that all they have been taught is applied, enabling instinctive actions and reactions in appropriate controlled and measured ways. For HM Forces Servicepersons, preparation is vital. They will carry out theoretical and practical training, which will include, but not exclusively, communication methods, enhanced first aid, safe weapons handling processes and navigation methods along with testing and maintenance of equipment to ensure operational preparedness. They are responsible for consistently working in a professional manner, both individually and as a team, continually honing the requisite skills in readiness for any eventuality they may be required to fulfil. They will become embedded into a professional culture and ethos where individuals understand / are aware of how their role supports both the team and aligns to the wider organisational taskings and priorities.

Where you’ll work

UK Country wide

SO21 2RG

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

BRITISH ARMY

Your training course

HM forces serviceperson (protective services) (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Take responsibility for effective performance within their role.
Carry out safe working practices using the individual personal weapon.
Operate safely and effectively in emergency situations.
Operate within hazardous environments using Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear individual protective equipment.
Apply First Aid to minor and major injuries.
Use fieldcraft techniques to camouflage and conceal self, equipment and location.
Use and maintain personal safety and specialist equipment.
Operate tactically in open country and wooded areas without being seen or heard.
Occupy tactical locations by constructing strongholds.
Conduct tactical patrols.
Indicate targets by judging distance and range cards.
Navigate using recognised methods, across varying terrains by day and night.
Conduct sentry duties within a tactical location.
Communicate effectively, through tactical hand signals.
Send and receive messages using in-service portable radios.
Drill movements; Dress for the event, perform foot and arms drill, show respect and courtesy to visitors.
Use physical resources as not to cause injury to self or others
Show how to prepare and maintain operational equipment and resources, ancillaries, ammunition and pyrotechnics.
Show understanding of Individual Weapons, purposes and characteristics.
Show how to operate weapons and remedy malfunctions.
Take responsibility for effective performance within their role.
Carry out safe working practices using the individual personal weapon.
Operate safely and effectively in emergency situations.
Operate within hazardous environments using Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear individual protective equipment.
Apply First Aid to minor and major injuries.
Use fieldcraft techniques to camouflage and conceal self, equipment and location.
Use and maintain personal safety and specialist equipment.
Operate tactically in open country and wooded areas without being seen or heard.
Occupy tactical locations by constructing strongholds.
Conduct tactical patrols.
Indicate targets by judging distance and range cards.
Navigate using recognised methods, across varying terrains by day and night.
Conduct sentry duties within a tactical location.
Communicate effectively, through tactical hand signals.
Send and receive messages using in-service portable radios.
Drill movements; Dress for the event, perform foot and arms drill, show respect and courtesy to visitors.
Use physical resources as not to cause injury to self or others
Show how to prepare and maintain operational equipment and resources, ancillaries, ammunition and pyrotechnics.
Show understanding of Individual Weapons, purposes and characteristics.
Show how to operate weapons and remedy malfunctions.

Your training plan

Step 1 - You start with a Combat Infantry Course (28 weeks) at The Infantry Training Centre Catterick. Here, you do your Basic Training and then your Infantry Initial Trade Training. Your instructors will coach you through progressive training where you will learn essential skills such as firing weapons, survival, first aid and map reading while building stamina and fitness.

If you’re aged under 17 years and 6 months, you’ll do your Basic Training at the Army Foundation College Harrogate for 49 weeks. You’ll then go to Catterick to complete your Infantry Initial Trade Training over 10 weeks.

Step 2 - On completion of your Initial Trade Training, you will move to your chosen Infantry Battalion. Battalions routinely conduct training in the UK, Europe, Kenya and Belize. More concentrated periods of mission-specific training prepare battalions for operations abroad.

Qualifications you could get after training:

Vocational Driving Licences
HM Forces Serviceperson (Protective Services) Apprenticeship
Leadership and Management qualifications to degree level
Assessor qualifications
Coaching and mentoring
Adventure Training Qualifications (Canoeing, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Mountain Climbing, Summer Mountain Training).

Requirements

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Team working
Initiative
Physical fitness

Other requirements

The British Army recruits throughout the year and you should ignore the application closing dates shown against this advert.

About this company

Protecting the nation and its dependent territories will always be the British Army's first role. Highly trained soldiers are ready to deploy anywhere at any time to meet a variety of challenges, ranging from support to the Police following a terrorist attack, to specialist capabilities such as bomb disposal and intelligence experts, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, we are always ready to serve. You belong here.

https://www.army.mod.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

The Army offers job security, career growth, adventure and world-class training. Benefits include competitive pay, travel, fitness, leadership skills, a pension, free healthcare, cheaper housing and 30 days of paid leave a year, plus public holidays.

After this apprenticeship

The apprenticeship is a gateway to a full-time career in the British Army. Promotion, along with increased salary and responsibility is dependent on successful completion of the apprenticeship and then on merit by competitive selection. As you advance through the ranks, you will have the increased opportunity to lead and direct people, managing resources and workforce within your area of work to deliver the required outputs whilst maintaining and instilling the highest values and standards expected of the British Army. You belong here.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BRITISH ARMY

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000304664.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 1 December 2025

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

At this link you can find more information about the roles offered by the British Army. We have positions available for all roles throughout the year and you can ignore the application open/closing dates shown against this apprenticeship advertisement. Once you have completed an application you will be invited to complete an aptitude assessment, selection interview, health assessment and a fitness test. More details of the requirement can be found at the application link.

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British Army - HM Forces Serviceperson (Protective Services) - Full Time Career with Apprenticeship

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