The Army brought out its big guns for 500 students at a recruitment event held at Bishop Auckland College yesterday.
The ‘Careers in the Army’ event, organised by the Armed Forces Careers Office in Middlesbrough, saw a wide range of personnel providing information and demonstrations on the various Armed Services.
They included the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, the Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Military Police, Army Medical Services, Royal Logistics Army Catering, Army Air Corps, Royal Engineers, Veterinary Corps, Royal Artillery and Royal Armoured Corps.
Students from the college and local schools took part in a number of activities including encoding and decoding exercises, and handling a 105mm Light Gun, full size High Velocity Missile Model and an Artillery Nerf range.
They were also able to climb aboard an Army helicopter, see inside a fully working Army field kitchen to find out about life as a military chef, and tackle a climbing wall. Meanwhile Army personnel gave presentations on the difference services and answered questions from the students.
Katy Dixon, the college’s Learning Area Manager for Sport, Uniformed Services and Maths, said: “The students have really enjoyed a taster of life in the Armed Services and we appreciate the huge effort and resource the Army has put into today’s event, which has been a big success.”
The college is holding an open event next Tuesday, May 9 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at its main campus on Woodhouse Lane, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6JZ, where prospective students can meet tutors, view facilities and find out about the huge variety of courses available across all curriculum areas.