The three servicemen travel around the UK for outreach and recruitment for catering roles in the service, promoting the different career and educational opportunities that are made available to those who join the Navy.
‘The Navy, and the armed forces in general, is about opportunity – having a career, travelling the world, or having a stepping stone to earning your qualifications,’ said Navy serviceman Ryan Evans, who joined up four years ago.
‘I wish I joined up earlier.
‘I’ve been to so many countries, and the Navy has given me qualifications that wouldn’t have been available to me otherwise.
‘For example, I did a level one wine tasting course – I just turned up to work one day and they said “Do you want to do this?”.’
Meanwhile, for fellow sailor Matt Palmer, the benefits of his service have ranged from the social to the educational to the personal.
‘I joined the Navy at 19, and I was already a pretty confident individual, but when I joined it made me more confident meeting people from all walks of life – it’s a very diverse workforce,’ he said.
‘Also, when I came out of nine weeks of training, I came out feeling really confident – I felt like a new man.’
More recently, he has also taken advantages of the Navy’s educational opportunities, gaining GSCE qualifications in English, Maths and the sciences in the hopes of moving on to an apprenticeship in nuclear engineering.
‘I found it really interesting hearing about how they went down that route into the Navy, and how you can get qualifications and do apprenticeships,’ said 17-year-old public services student Lily De La Mare.
‘I never knew all of that – they really seem to fund what people want to do and care about the people they employ.’
She, alongside three of her fellow public services students, made up one of the classes who participated in the Navy catering course, which they all professed to enjoy.
‘I really enjoyed it – it was nice to do something a bit different,’ said 17-year-old Georgia Peach.
‘I quite like cooking,’ said classmate Lexie Fisher.
‘I’ve never really thought about it, but I actually quite enjoy it, so maybe it’s something to think about.’
None of the group had ever seriously considered a military career before, with the exception of 17-year-old Cameron Maloy, who has previously been curious about military life.
‘It gave me a good insight into what it would be like – I’m still not sure if that’s what I want to do, but I think I’m a bit more interested now,’ he said.
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