Ministry of Defence to offer gap year–style scheme to young people | Ministry of Defence
A gap year-style program is to be offered to young people in Britain by the Ministry of Defense in a bid to introduce citizens to military life early as part of a new “whole of society” approach to defence.
The government, which first announced plans to implement this scheme earlier this year, has confirmed that approximately 150 people under the age of 25 will be enrolled in the pilot programme, which is set to begin in March 2026.
These will be paid for two-year placements, but it has not been disclosed how much each participant will be paid.
Following the launch of the programme, the government plans to increase this to over 1,000 a year, according to i newspaper. It will not involve deployment to active operations and there will be no requirement to remain in the military after the plan is completed, as it aims to teach transferable skills that can be used in other industries.
Defense secretary John Healey told ipaper that the scheme would “give Britain’s young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF”.
He added: “As families come together at this time of year and young people think about their futures, I want the extraordinary opportunities offered in our armed forces to be part of that conversation in homes across the UK.”
According to reports, under current plans, the Army’s program includes 13 weeks of basic training as part of a two-year deployment; The navy program will last one year and provide “professional-independent” training to sailors. Options are reportedly being explored, although the RAF’s plan is less developed.
It came after chief of the defense staff, air chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, said Britain’s “sons and daughters” must be “battle ready” and called for a “whole of society” effort to defend the country in the face of Russian aggression.
The British army already runs a traineeship programme, formerly known as gap year commissions, but participation has been low, with just 10 people signing up in 2024/25. These are one-year placements for young people before, during or immediately after university.
Australia currently offers a gap year scheme for its military for 17 to 24-year-olds. In 2023, 664 people were enrolled in the Australian program, with just over half of them taking on a permanent role in the country’s defense force.
In June, the British government said the UK should take inspiration from the Australian model, arguing that a shorter-term option could make engagement with the military more attractive to women and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
