A new military gap year programme in the UK could lead to thousands of young people joining the Armed Forces annually, a move which an official has labelled as a “new era for defence”.
Details of the new initiative were revealed exclusively by The i Paper.
The scheme will reportedly present individuals with the opportunity to learn new life skills, as well as join the service full-time, while also educating the public on what is now described as a “very challenging” period of insecurity for the country.
Below are five things to know about the scheme before recruitment begins in March 2026.
The scheme will start out small
The new programme will be open to under-25s, with the first group of recruits consisting of 150 individuals.
It is hoped future cohorts will reach levels of more than 1,000 per year, but it remains unclear how much the trainees would be paid under the scheme.
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Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood said details on how the programme would be funded and whether it would train officers, as well as rank-and-file soldiers, remained unclear.
However, he said the programme ultimately “ends up paying for itself” through the country’s added resilience to large-scale attacks.
Insiders said the project will “grow over time”, adding regular assessments would be in place to determine its operational design and how recruitment would be impacted.
Recruitment campaigns are already run by the military on social media and TV, with the “spare capacity” in the current recruitment framework being used to advertise the new gap year programme.
Some services still ‘scoping’ options
Insiders said the Army scheme would last two years and allow recruits to specialise in a particular area after completing a 13-week basic training course.
Citizens taking part in the Navy option will be offered basic training to work on-board ships during a year-long “profession agnostic employment scheme”, while also being given broad expertise for a variety of careers.
The RAF is reportedly looking at options to develop its version of the scheme (Photo: Giddens/Pool /Reuters)However, insiders said the RAF plans are less thought out as the force is still “scoping” options for how to deliver its gap year scheme.
Once courses are completed, recruits will have the option to stay with the Armed Forces and receive extra training before deployment on operations.
Transferable skills for other careers
The scheme reportedly does not include any commitment to join the service full-time.
Insiders said the programme is aimed to equip citizens with transferable skills, with those close to the project describing the initiative as an “attractive employment scheme for school and college leavers, and young adults who are undecided on a future career direction”.
Graduates of the scheme could help assist in the running of Royal Navy vessels (Photo: Peter Nicholls / PA Wire)They said that those who were interested in learning a trade to upskill or gaining life experience for a future civilian career were also encouraged to consider the opportunity.
Examples of wider jobs that were obtainable through the scheme included working with supply chain specialists in the Army or roles in logistics and engineering, such as assisting with the running of Royal Navy ships.
Lord Richard Dannatt, who served as the head of the Army from 2006 to 2009, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Rather more importantly, it gives a number of people who may well choose a different career path in life some exposure to the armed forces, some exposure to the discipline and problem solving skills.”
Following the Australian model
The new initiative is based on a gap year project in Australia, which allows individuals aged 17-24 to join the navy, army or air force for 12 months.
It allows people to “learn the fundamentals” through initial military training before taking on a further course in a specific role.
This involves taking part in a range of domestic “exercises and operations”.
In 2023, 664 people enlisted in the Australian scheme, with a little more than half going on to a permanent role in the country’s defence force.
Insiders added that the new British scheme differs from the UK’s previous Short Service Limited Commission, which involved a short officer-training course before a brief stint in the Army, adding that the new plans were more focused on providing school leavers an experience of army life prior to university or other options.
‘A whole-of-society approach’ to defence
Aside from gaining life skills, the scheme is also aimed at informing the public on the scope of the geopolitical threats the UK now faces.
Ellwood said the initiative would help educate society on what is a “very, very challenging” period of insecurity for the country.
The former minister added: “I’m pleased that there is a sober conversation taking place with the British people about just how dangerous our world’s becoming, and there’s an active effort to prepare us for a difficult future.”
He said: “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.
Defence Secretary John Healey added that the opportunity represented a “new era for defence”.
“As families come together at this time of year, and young people think about their futures, I want the outstanding opportunities on offer in our Armed Forces to be part of that conversation in homes across the UK.”
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