Students at West Nottinghamshire College gained a unique insight into armed forces careers and paid army reserve opportunities at a special ‘military village’ event.

The event, on June 5 at the Derby Road campus in Mansfield, was open to all students from across the college.

It brought together British Army personnel to showcase career opportunities in both the full-time regular army and the part-time army reserve, highlighting how young people can gain valuable skills, build a career or earn additional income alongside their studies or future employment.

Students spoke directly with reserve forces recruitment teams, regular army representatives and army engagement personnel to learn more about paid reservist roles, training pathways, qualifications and routes for career development.

Members of the armed forces and college staff staged a military village at the Derby Road campus.

placeholder image — Members of the armed forces and college staff staged a military village at the Derby Road campus.

George Trafford, who is doing an advanced diploma in sport and exercise science, was one of the learners in attendance.

The 19-year-old is already a reservist and spoke with passion about this role.

He said: “Being a reservist has given me valuable experience and helped prepare me for a future career in healthcare.

"I'm currently transferring from the Royal Marine Reserves to the Army Reserve Medical Regiment, and after completing a degree in paramedic science, I'd like to join the regular army as a medic.

A-Level students Bethany Taylor (first left) and Phoebe Brennan (first right) with Lance Corporal Adam Jenkins (second left) and guardsman Tobias Boivin at the military village.

“The reserves challenge you, build your resilience and teamwork skills, and give you the chance to meet and learn from people in a wide range of professions.

"I'd definitely recommend it to other students who want to develop themselves and gain real-world experience."

The military village featured a variety of interactive activities designed to provide a hands-on perspective of armed forces life, teamwork and leadership.

One highlight included a visit from six-year-old patrol dog Hakum, who works mainly on crowd control.

Sergeant Gordon Hardy and Colour Sergeant Terry Wright with sports student George Trafford, who is a reservist with the Royal Marine Reserves.

Hakum has been a working army dog since he was six-months-old and came to the college in his personal protective equipment consisting of jacket, shoes and goggles.

There were also displays and demonstrations from military units, and opportunities for students to engage with serving personnel about their experiences.

Representatives from several army units attended, including the Royal Yeomanry, the Military Intelligence Corps, the Mercian Regiment and the Royal Army Veterinary Corps – giving students a broad understanding of the various roles and specialisms available.

Throughout the academic year, students have taken part in leadership exercises, teamwork challenges, military dog demonstrations, coding and cipher activities, and industry-focused competitions.

Students (from left) Jorjha Stapleton-Hill, Cerys Yemm, Matthew Knowles and Jake Butcher-Parker with Private Toby Brace and patrol dog Hakum.

This latest event aimed to help students make informed decisions about their future by showcasing opportunities that can complement further study, employment and personal development.

Andrew Cropley MBE, college principal and chief executive, who served as a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy for 21 years before joining the further education sector, said: "The military village gave students a great chance to engage with professionals, discover new pathways and gain a brilliant insight into the skills, experiences and opportunities available through the army reserve and wider armed forces community.

“I have no doubt this has inspired many of them and I’m delighted that we continue to work closely with our military partners and employers to give our students meaningful experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, which support their skills development and future career exploration.”

Warrant officer class 2 Kevin Heron, who led the event, said: “We had a great response from students throughout the day, with many taking the opportunity to speak to our teams and find out more about the wide range of careers in the army and army reserve.

“The reserve route offers young people the chance to gain valuable skills and experience on a part-time basis while continuing with their studies or other commitments.

“With more than 200 roles available, there are opportunities to suit a huge variety of interests and ambitions.

“We've worked closely with the college for a number of years and have seen students go on to have successful careers in the Army, so it's always rewarding to engage with learners and help them explore the options available."

A-Level students Phoebe Brennan and Bethany Taylor, both 17, spent time speaking with representatives to gather careers information.

Phoebe, who is studying business, psychology and sociology at the college’s sixth-form, said: “The event gave me a better understanding of how a career in mental health nursing could work within the military.

"After college I hope to progress to university before pursuing nursing.

"Learning that support is available for training and qualifications was really encouraging and it was useful to hear about the different pathways into the profession."

Bethany, who studies English literature, law and psychology, added: “I found it really interesting to learn more about the numerous career opportunities in the army.

"In the future, I’d like to become a lawyer, and it was good to discover there are legal careers in the armed forces.

"This has given me another option to consider and helped me understand the routes to achieve my goals.”