Airmen and women work in a wide range of mostly ground support roles within the Royal Air Force (RAF). They provide specialist skills in more than 40 different trades, which can grouped in to the following categories:

• aircrew - this area includes non-commissioned aircrew and weapon systems operators
• engineering and technical - this field includes roles such as aircraft technician 
• catering and hospitality - this area includes a number of roles such as catering officer
• security and defence - within this field there are roles like firefighter and RAF police
• medical and medical support - this sector includes dental, nursing, medical and laboratory roles
• personnel support - this area includes administration roles, musicians, and training posts
• air operations support - this field includes air traffic controllers
• communications and intelligence - within this area, there are photographers and intelligence analysts
• logistics and equipment - this category includes drivers and supply officers.

Their duties will vary according to their specialist skill or trade, however, they will all carry out military tasks like guarding the stations, and taking part in military exercises and training.

You can contact your local Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO), listed on the RAF Careers website, for more details. The RAF Careers website also holds a full list of trades available (see Further Information).

Hours and Environment

Airmen and women can be posted to RAF bases in the UK or overseas. They can also go on detachments and exercises anywhere in the world.

As an airman or woman, you will usually work 9am to 5pm, over a five-day week, although you will be on-call at all times. When you are on exercises or involved in operations, your hours may be long and irregular. When on detachment, you may be away from your family for several months.

Skills and Interests

To be an airman or airwoman you should:

• be able to work well as part of a team
• be able to follow orders and use your initiative to make decisions
• stay calm under pressure
• be able to organise work and pay attention to detail
• be interested in specialising in one of the trades
• be physically fit.

Entry

To join the RAF as an airman or airwoman, working in a ground support role, you will:

• usually need to be at least aged 16 (upper age limits vary according to the job and are continually being reviewed, so check the current situation with an Armed Forces Careers Office, AFCO, and the RAF Careers website)
  
  
• need to be a citizen of the UK, Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth since birth, or have dual nationality with Britain and another country (some jobs have stricter requirements than this) 
  
  
• not require any formal qualifications for many jobs, but you do have to pass the RAF’s aptitude tests, usually at an AFCO - some trades will require qualifications including GCSE/S grades and BTEC/SQA national awards.
  

Most trades are open to men and women, however, women are not able to join the RAF Regiment, which involves combat.

For further details on all requirements, check the RAF Careers website in Further Information - this also lists details of local AFCO, who can provide advice. 

Selection tests
Before you can join the RAF, you need to pass a series of tests including aptitude tests, practical initiative tests, health and fitness tests, interviews and a medical.

Training

For many job roles within the RAF your training will begin with a nine-week course at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. Training includes:

• general RAF service knowledge
• physical fitness training
• military weapons training
• survival techniques.

Specific training in your chosen trade can take between three weeks and 18 months.

Increasingly, training in your trade involves working toward nationally recognised qualifications such as NVQs/SVQs, BTEC awards or City and Guilds. You will be encouraged to take advanced vocational qualifications as your career progresses.

When you join the RAF, you will be asked to commit to a minimum length of service. How long this is will be depend on your job, however, the average commitment is between six and twelve years.

Opportunities

There are more than 40,000 non-commissioned personnel in the RAF. The number of vacancies varies depending on the particular trade.

When you complete your specialist training, you will be promoted to leading aircraftman/aircraftwoman, and then to senior aircraftmen/aircraftwomen, usually after one year’s service. Promotion above the rank of senior aircraftman/aircraftwoman is by competitive selection and based on merit.

Airmen/airwomen who satisfy the various conditions of eligibility can apply at any time to become commissioned officers (check the Royal Air Force Officer profile for details). 

Free leaflets and advice are available from all Armed Forces Careers Offices (AFCOs). The RAF Careers website holds details of local AFCO.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Salaries are independently reviewed each year; check the latest rates with your local AFCO.

New entrants, within their first six months, can earn around £14,500 a year.
Senior airmen/women earn up to £25,000 a year.
Warrant officers, the highest non-commissioned rank, can earn up to around £42,000 a year.

If you are living in RAF accommodation, a charge for rent is automatically taken from your salary.

Further information

Tel: 0845 605 5555