ASPIRING soldiers were put through their paces when they were given a true taste of life in the Army.

Ninety-five college students from Swindon College and New College took part in an ‘Army Look at Life’ program as part of their Public Services course.

The students, who are studying Level 3 Public Services, stayed at Tilshead Cadet Camp on Salisbury Plain, where they took part in a range of tasks and training designed to give them an insight into life in the Army; building confidence, leadership skills and team spirit.

The week long course, run by the Armed Forces Employability Pathway team, from 1 Artillery Brigade based in Tidworth, gave the students an opportunity to talk to regular and reserve soldiers and to get a first-hand look at what service life can offer.

Paul Holland, New College’s programme leader for the public services level 3 course, said: “This week has been a wakeup call for the students. I said to them before we arrived that it’s not a taste of phase 1 training, this is to look at what the Army can offer.

“They have found timekeeping is always an issue so ‘right kit, right place, right time’ has been drilled into them. That is the biggest thing they’ve had to get to grips with, but actually all of those who began the course at the start of the week saying ‘I’m never going in the Army’ have now had the opportunity just to see everything the military can offer and are now considering it.”

The students were introduced to command tasks, basic field skills, camouflage and concealment, patrolling, and fire and moving on Salisbury Plain Training Area, as well as a taste of the discipline expected from British soldiers.

Jamie Rice, course tutor at Swindon College, said: “The discipline has improved over the week, Monday morning they were like zombies, by the end they were all out on time, standing correctly and doing everything they needed to do without being reminded.”

Chelsea Skuse, 18, from Swindon College, said: “The highlight of the week for me was the arrowhead transformation we did and the capability demonstrations.

"We went out onto Salisbury Plain, running up the hills in the mud, coming down in mud, it was really fun.

“At first I wasn’t considering a career in the armed forces but this week has made me consider being a military police officer rather than a civilian police officer. Respect and discipline has definitely been the biggest thing I’ve learnt this week.”

Matt Cavel, 17, from New College, said: “The best part of this week has been seeing what the lifestyle is like, it’s very different to what I thought it would be, I expected it to be strict but not as strict has it has been.

“I already wanted to join the Army but coming on this course has made me even more determined to join. I want to join either the Paras or as an ammunition technical officer, so seeing some of the explosive ordnance disposal equipment and speaking to the team has been brilliant.”

Warrant Officer Class Two Rob Chisnall, who organised the week long course said: “The Army Look at Life week was a great success with all 95 Students finishing on the Friday. The aim of the week was to raise candidates’ awareness of the Reserve and Regular Army.

"Overall we managed to capture a large audience that now have a better understanding of what the Army can do and how it delivers its capability as a professional organisation.”