Getting a graduate job in armed forces and emergency services

With a variety of career paths available, discover how to improve your chances of securing a graduate job in the forces or emergency services…

Do I need a related degree?

There are opportunities in the armed forces and emergency services sector for graduates of any discipline. However, there are also job roles that require specific skills and degrees. For example, a physical trainer in the army will need training or a degree in physical education, a government statistician will require mathematical expertise, and a paramedic will need medical schooling.

What skills do employers want?

Graduate employers in the armed forces and emergency services sector require candidates with:

• a sense of personal responsibility and integrity;
• team working and strong communication skills;
• the ability to be calm in emergency situations;
• the ability to use initiative and work under pressure;
• the capability to lead, motivate and take orders.

Where can I get work experience?

Many companies in the private sector, as well as government departments, provide opportunities for students and graduates to gain work experience. For example, British multinational consultancy, engineering and project management company AMEC annually recruits around 50 - 100 graduates on its development programmes.

Participating in cadet forces such as the University Officers Training Corps, University Royal Navy Units, University Air Squadrons and the Territorial Army can also provide valuable experience and demonstrate commitment in job applications.

In the emergency services, the focus is to assist in a crisis, alongside participating in educational activities to prevent emergencies. Gaining work experience in voluntary organisations such as St John Ambulance, British Red Cross or the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) can give a valuable insight into what working life is like in the sector and will help nurture key skills.

To find work placements and internships in the armed forces and emergency services sector, search for work experience.

How do I find a graduate job?

The majority of graduate roles will be found in the large, private sector organisations. The Civil Service is a major recruiter of graduates, providing graduate development schemes and fast-stream programmes in all its major departments and agencies.

Recruitment to the armed forces and emergency services is direct, with routes into public bodies differing depending on the area of employment. For example, recruitment to coastguard work is via the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the Department of Transport, recruitment to the police force is through the Home Office website and entry to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is via the Civil Service recruitment process.

Overseas work is common in the armed forces and those with diplomatic roles in the Civil Service. An opportunity for travelling also exists with large companies working for the various armed and emergency services.

To find graduate jobs in the armed forces or emergency services, search graduates jobs in law enforcement and protection.