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Air cadets

So I wanna do air cadets but my dad's like it's gonna interfere with your gcses and it's just useless if you aren't going to be in the RAF (I want to be a aerospace engineer) is this true???
Original post by starglooms
So I wanna do air cadets but my dad's like it's gonna interfere with your gcses and it's just useless if you aren't going to be in the RAF (I want to be a aerospace engineer) is this true???
What planet is your dad on? Universities love well rounded students with extra-curricular activites outside the school environment - Air Cadets will give you a heap of experiences and take you on some amazing trips including flying lessons. I would say it's an extremely good idea to do something other than pure study and which will teach you discipline, time management, teamworking and taking leadership responsibility. All fine and highly respected skills which future employers seek and demand if you want a head start in your career.

Many students also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, scouts, cadets, sports clubs, music etc.

It's all about forward planning and time management. You would be surprised at what can be fitted in along with your studies.

For example, my son and his friends (5 of them) practice every Saturday for their rock band and then additionally when approaching live performances. They also do the DofE awards scheme, play cricket for the school team and also judo/swimming, are members of the Amnesty International society and one of them is in the Air Cadets and recently made corporal.

I kid you not, between them they gained 62 GCSE's, 38 of which were A*/A grades.

Not only is it possible, as a senior aersopace systems engineer myself, I would say you are missing out if you don't do it.

Good luck.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by starglooms
So I wanna do air cadets but my dad's like it's gonna interfere with your gcses and it's just useless if you aren't going to be in the RAF (I want to be a aerospace engineer) is this true???

Who does he think many aerospace engineers ultimately work for?
Reply 3
Original post by uberteknik
What planet is your dad on? Universities love well rounded students with extra-curricular activites outside the school environment - Air Cadets will give you a heap of experiences and take you on some amazing trips including flying lessons. I would say it's an extremely good idea to do something other than pure study and which will teach you discipline, time management, teamworking and taking leadership responsibility. All fine and highly respected skills which future employers seek and demand if you want a head start in your career.

Many students also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, scouts, cadets, sports clubs, music etc.

It's all about forward planning and time management. You would be surprised at what can be fitted in along with your studies.

For example, my son and his friends (5 of them) practice every Saturday for their rock band and then additionally when approaching live performances. They also do the DofE awards scheme, play cricket for the school team and also judo/swimming, are members of the Amnesty International society and one of them is in the Air Cadets and recently made corporal.

I kid you not, between them they gained 62 GCSE's, 38 of which were A*/A grades.

Not only is it possible, as a senior aersopace systems engineer myself, I would say you are missing out if you don't do it.

Good luck.


Thanks for this, I will show it to him. And that's awesome that your a senior aerospace systems engineer :smile: I personally want to do it so much but I just need to convince him
Reply 4
Original post by Simes
Who does he think many aerospace engineers ultimately work for?


I don't even know lol, but personally I wanna work for a space company... (Like Nasa)
Reply 5
Yeah its great if you want to work in engineering it will give you a real edge. However, I personally think that it does take up lots of time. 2 meetings a week at an average of 2.30hrs each depending on your squadron. Its not just that though, you have to make sure your uniform is washed and ironed for the meetings and if ur a girl your bun is done which is an extra 30mins. Then there is sports events which you WILL be expected to attend, Wing events, Parades (i.e. battle of britain), volunteering.

Its really good but it is a big commitment. In my experience its a marmite sort of thing. Some people love it, make all new friends, go on all the camps and just love the atmosphere. Others hate it, and all the discipline, the waste of time and the repetitive marching.

Lastly, yes you get to fly. But not very often as it is high in demand with little planes and also not until you have been enrolled which will be a few months after you join.

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