Raf Dtus

Hello to all,

I have recently finished my GCSEs and so start 6th form in September and I have been thinking about what I want to do afterwards. Joining the RAF is something I've always wanted to do and so lately I've been looking into it in greater detail.

If I'm completely honest my first choice would be Pilot, but since I wear glasses and so don't have perfect vision, I know this isn't going to happen. It's not a nice feeling knowing your dream job is completely out of reach but that's just life I guess and from reading these boards over the past few months I've come to realise I'm not the only one in the same boat.

So I've decided I'm going to aim and set my sights on EngO (AS) as other aircrew roles don't really appeal (WSOs only being offered SSCs and WSOps being NCA). I'm currently thinking of applying for the DTUS scheme and would like to know anything and everything you lot know about the scheme.

I plan to visit the AFCO when I get my results in August and so I'm sure then they'll tell me all I need to know. My other question is, is there anything I can do now that will erm.. how to put it.. earn me some "brownie points" if you like when I come to apply as the website says they only offer 50 places a year and so I know that there will be very fierce competition for them and so I want to do as much as possible.

The only activity I really do outside of school now is scuba diving, I completed my first qualifcation back in April and will be starting my second in a few weeks time. Depending on when I need to apply it may be possible for me to do an Instructor Foundation Course and so be a qualified Assistant Diving Instructor when I apply.

So if you all-knowing lot can suggest anything else I get involved in to help my application it would be very much appreciated!

Oh Christ, i apologise for the long post, I really didn't intend to make it this long :p:

Thanks in advance

Reply 1

StaVix

Hey, welcome seems as though you are going into this having thought about it. On the extra curricular side the scuba diving will be a bonus keep up the good work with that. Make sure once youve got the qualifications you actually use them! Do you play any team sports? could you get involved in some? that will be good teaching you teamwork skills etc, showing leadership among the team.

Re RAF, try and organise as many relevant fam visits as you can visit bases, ask questions try and get as broad a pitcure as possible of the RAF. Really swot up on your knowledge about the RAF,im not sure what your entrance for your scheme is but if the competeition is fierce then it wont harm your application to know a lot about the RAF. Use the OASC interview questions as a basis perhaps? (look in BH's FAQ's for them)
.Know your current affairs (def know where balkans are!!!!) make sure you watch news, read a paper and have an opinion not just be able to spurt facts.

Good luck with it, im not sure what the DTUS scheme is? but if you want to look good you need to make sure you are a n extremely well rounded applicant with a sound knowledeg in all areas.

Reply 2

Jon01

Best bet is to take a visit to the AFCO.

Read the RAF Careers site, as you most probably have http://www.rafcareers.com/jobs/engineerofficer.cfm

Jon

Reply 3

Titaniyum

Thanks for the replies so far..

Yes Jon, I've read that page top to bottom many times :biggrin:

As for team sports, I used to be part of a football team, which closed down and a swimming team which I left to start diving, I pretty much got bored of swimming up and down a swimming pool and wanted a new challenge!

I fully intend to make use of my diving qualifcations, most non-divers think I'm a raving loonatic thinking jumping into a cold quarry to swim around is a good idea, but I love it!

DTUS is Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme, from what I've read it's basically university sponsorship specifically for future Engineers for the forces; the Army, RN, RAF and civil service each do it from what I can gather.

http://www.rafcareers.com/istherafforme/engineers.cfm is the link to information about the DTUS on the RAF website..

Any more advice on what I can do is very appreciated..

Reply 4

BlackHawk

They were desperate for EngOs earlier this year and last year, and I don't think much has changed! I imagine it will be easier than you think, but that's not a reason to lie back on your laurals. Try to think back to sports you did from the age of 12 as they'll all go down on your form. Any positions of responsibility you've had too. Try to get involved in anything that interests you at school.

Have you looked at Welbeck for your sixth form? Especially good for student wanting to go into Engineering in the forces.

Reply 5

Titaniyum

I've seen the Welbeck website as it was one of the links on the RAF website, but since I start 6th form in September, isnt it too late now? I would have thought applying only a few months before it I'd be due to start 6th form would be a little too short notice..

To be honest I like the school I'm at, I've been studying there for 5 years already and so know the teachers, the pupils etc.

Hmm, sports since I was 12, I've been a member of a football team and swimming club. As for responsibility, for my next diving qualification I'll learn to be an "Assistant Dive Marshal" which basically means providing surface cover for the diver's, standing by with an O2 Kit when trainees are in the water incase of accidents, and filling in a form detailing dive buddy pairs, amount of air going in, amount of air coming out, dive time, max depth etc. I'm guessing this would count as a position of responsibility..

Any other help appreciated..
Thanks

Reply 6

LouE3D

Yep and include any groups, clubs, societies, commitees etc. Responsibilities in school etc.... :smile:

Reply 7

BlackHawk

No harm in calling them and finding out. Welbeck has an excellent reputation.

A position of responsibilty is exactly that. Where you have some degree of responsibility and are in charge of people, or in the running of something.

Reply 8

Titaniyum

If I'm honest I think going to Welbeck would be an absolutely fantastic thing, but for me is taking things to fast, for me, the DTUS gives me maybe an extra year to prepare and generally find out as much information about the RAF as possible before I make any sort of commitments..

Can anyone suggest anything else?

Reply 9

simon_langley

I've just finished my 1st year at Loughborough doing Aero Eng and im one of 9 people in the country that got RAF DTUS sponsorship this yr. 6 of us are at loughborough.

DTUS is awesome, the best decision i've made. I applied for a 6th form scholarship during lower sixth then applied for uni bursary after that. I went for DTUS over a normal uni bursary because I wanted to go to loughborough. DTUS is only at Loughborough, Southampton, Aston, Newcastle, Oxford, Cambridge & Imperial (altho ox, cam and imperial you go to the closest other uni).

If your serious about it then getting in the air cadets gets you major bonus points altho it may be a little late for that and there are people on DTUS that never did that. Everyone that goes to Welbeck goes onto DTUS but you can be a direct entrant (when i went to 6th form Welbeck was only army whereas now its tri-service).

Just try and do as much as you can, cram in sports, adventure training, social things. They are looking for really rounded people who are good at everything.

And yes, they are short on engineers but bursarys and DTUS places are still hard to come by.

If your still interested in flying the a normal bursary would be better because in the University Air Squadron you do lots of flying, even if your not going to be a pilot. DTUS on the other hand is more adventure training based as its joint with the Army and Navy. Thats a bonus because it means you have 3 times the stuff to go on. Im off to the US Airfore Academy for 4weeks tomorrow followed by two weeks working at RAF cottesmore followed by a week surfing in newquay (all free and getting paid for it with DTUS)

If you have any more detailed questions then feel free to email me or send me a message but i would definately recommend it.

Lastly, UAS has changed recently with regrards to training pay so DTUS doesnt have as much of a financial benefit over UAS (if your a bursar) so its mainly down to whether you prefer flying or AT and whether you want to get experience from all 3 services (which is a definate bonus the way the forces are going).

Reply 10

LouE3D

Everyone that goes to Welbeck goes onto DTUS

Have i misunderstood or did you mean everyone that gets onto DTUS goes to Welbeck? Just you said that there were only 9 spots, so either that or welbeck has a v small 6th form :wink:

Many congratulations and enjoy!

Reply 11

simon_langley

Everyone from Welbeck goes on to DTUS (at one of the five DTUS unis) but other people can get on to DTUS too. Those numbers were just for the RAF this year but that may change a bit now that Welbeck is tri-service.