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The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to introduce a new “gap year” programme designed to give school and college leavers under the age of 25 an opportunity to experience life in the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force without obligating them to a long-term military career. This initiative, aimed at addressing persistent challenges with recruitment and retention within the armed forces, will offer a paid 12-month course.
Applications for the initial group of 150 participants will open in spring 2026. Officials envisage expanding the programme eventually to accommodate up to 1,000 young people annually. Although the scheme will be paid, specific details regarding remuneration have yet to be revealed by the MoD.
Participants in the “gap year” scheme are expected to develop key skills such as leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving, which the MoD highlights as valuable whether individuals choose a military career or pursue other paths. The programme seeks to attract a more diverse range of recruits, with the hope that some will opt to continue their careers within the military after completing the scheme.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP commented, “This is a new era for Defence, and that means opening up new opportunities for young people to experience and learn from our Armed Forces. This gap year scheme will give Britain’s young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF. It’s part of our determination to reconnect society with our forces, and drive a whole of society approach to our nation’s defence.” In contrast, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge criticized the plan, stating, “A scheme involving just 150 participants is barely a pilot, let alone the ‘whole of society’ response they claim to be delivering,” and questioned the government’s broader defence funding priorities. The new programme follows recommendations from the UK Strategic Defence Review and draws inspiration from a similar gap year initiative run by the Australian Defence Force, which has provided young people with a military experience for over ten years
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