The National Employers Liaison Committee

Training with the Reserves

What Does it involve?

Within these pages we have explained to you what benefits people can expect to gain from Volunteer Reserve Forces training, how much training reservists are obliged to do and what happens to both the employer and the employee when Reservists are called-out, but what is it exactly that these reservists undergo in order to achieve these skills, and what is the process by which people are accepted into the Reserves?

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Joining the Reserves – Selection and Training

Once an individual takes the step of applying to their local military unit they need to undergo a short entrance test and medical examination. With this complete, and all the necessary forms filled out, they are enlisted into the Reserves and training can begin. Although the format may vary from service to service, the general plan for training is the same. The recruits must first complete their basic training.

Basic Training – Lasting 6 Months
- Territorial Army
  - Drill, Fieldcraft, First Aid, Communications, Weapon Training, Map Reading, etc.
- Royal Marines Reserve
  - Generally similar to the TA, including Shipborne operations and Assault training.
- Royal Naval Reserve
  - Including an introduction to Naval customs, rope handling and ship identification.
- Royal Auxiliary Air Force
  - Again, similar to the TA.

Once the basic training has been completed the recruit undergoes specialised training which will vary from unit to unit. This can be in any of a wide variety of skills, from Aircraft Engineering and Logistics to Military Police and Public Relations training.

Beyond the services

There is one other form of Voluntary Reserve Service – The University Officers Training Corps (UOTCs). Traditionally Army Officer recruitment was uniquely from Universities and although this is no longer true, there are UOTCs based at Universities throughout the country. They provide training similar to the other Reserves, though with less commitment. Once again the UOTCs are a valuable training experience that any employer should consider as a good sign of commitment on a prospective employee’s CV.

Employer’s Obligations to training commitments

Reservists train for a minimum of 12 days a year, most do this training in their own time – at weekends or in the evening. In addition to this they are required to attend an annual training period lasting two weeks, for which many give up part of their annual holiday. For some employers, such annual training can often seem to come at an inconvenient time and many Reservists encounter resistance to their release.