A CAMPAIGN to attract thousands of new recruits to the British Army will target job seekers in Wales with a series of Jobcentre Plus recruitment clinics throughout January. The clinics come as research reveals unemployed people are only half as likely as those already working to consider a job in the Army.

According to research commissioned by the British Army and carried out by One Poll, just one in 20 unemployed people said they would consider signing up to the Army, compared with one in 10 employed people who said they viewed it as a potential career choice.

The Army’s new campaign — ‘More than Meets the Eye’– aims to highlight the huge range of full-time and part-time careers available, with thousands of different roles on offer across hundreds of jobs. Some of the jobs currently open to new recruits include bricklayers, communications specialists, logistics, drivers, welders, veterinary technicians, musicians, environment health technicians, health care assistants and infantry soldiers.

Jobcentre Plus in Wales is supporting the British Army in its recruitment drive, and will be hosting clinics at various Jobcentre Plus locations including Cardiff, Newport and Mold throughout January.

People will be able to speak to serving members of the Regular Army and Army Reserve, get more information about the wide variety of roles available to new recruits and find out about the online application process. Potential recruits will be able to talk to local careers advisors about what they could gain from joining the Army.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Director of Training and Recruitment for the British Army, said:

“Regardless of their skills or background, young people who are interested in taking on a challenging and exciting new career should look at the hundreds of opportunities we have across the Army and Army Reserve. We want to do as much as we can to encourage potential recruits to come forward and find out more about what’s on offer.

“There is so much more to learn in the Army and Army Reserve than combat and military skills, and we are always recruiting. With the support of Jobcentre Plus, these clinics will provide a great opportunity for us to reach out to job seekers face-to-face and help them make the first step towards a successful Army career.

“I would urge anyone in Scotland who’s looking for a new career challenge to head down to one of our many Army Careers Centres and speak to our recruiting team.”

Neil Couling, Director for Jobcentre Plus, said:

“With the economy growing, there are lots of opportunities out there for jobseekers and we are always looking for innovative ways to work with recruiters to help people find their perfect career, or help them move into a new role. Following a similar programme of Army clinics last year, more than 100 events in Jobcentres across the country will be held over the next few weeks to make sure jobseekers are aware that the Army is recruiting.”

Anyone aged upward of 16 can apply for a job in the Army, or 18 for the Army Reserve, regardless of background, skills, or experience. There is no one type of person that the Army is looking to recruit, and the current campaign aims to show there is a role to suit everyone.