No. People who don't join the UOTC may have participated in other activities which have developed the important competences and show their leadership potential.
I'm an ex-RAF Recruiter and had a candidate who, due to various circumstances, hadn't been able to participate in after-school activities or any uniformed youth organisation. However, he discussed various projects and charity fund-raising in his local area in which he had taken part and organised. He ticked all the boxes at interview and passed OASC.
I'm an ex-RAF Recruiter and had a candidate who, due to various circumstances, hadn't been able to participate in after-school activities or any uniformed youth organisation. However, he discussed various projects and charity fund-raising in his local area in which he had taken part and organised. He ticked all the boxes at interview and passed OASC.
Hi. Attended AOSB Briefing on Tuesday so think I'll be able to help you out.
Essentially, prior experience matters, but it's useless if you don't perform over the 1.5 days. My leadership experience was extremely limited -- 18 years old and still at sixth form, not a team captain or prefect etc -- but I still pulled off a Cat 1. It's not going to help a huge amount in their decision, but if you apply the skills you've picked up there, it could help you perform better.
Now, come Main Board experience will matter more because the standard is higher. However, my lead recruiter told me quite plainly that you can have all the experience in the world and mess up, or conversely, have no experience and impress. I'd say half of the people in my group at Briefing were in UOTC or cadets, and there's no arguing with the fact that it shows initiative and helps build a profile of someone who wants to go to Sandhurst. As someone else stated, there are routes other than OTC for gaining experience and all of them are equally as good.
As to the benefit of doing UOTC compared to not doing it? From the answers I was given by those in my group, it does make you comfortable in a military atmosphere, which might help calm the nerves. Things like fieldcraft will inevitably help. However, UOTC are explicitly not allowed to coach you to pass AOSB so you'll be doing most of the prep yourself.
Hope this helps.
Essentially, prior experience matters, but it's useless if you don't perform over the 1.5 days. My leadership experience was extremely limited -- 18 years old and still at sixth form, not a team captain or prefect etc -- but I still pulled off a Cat 1. It's not going to help a huge amount in their decision, but if you apply the skills you've picked up there, it could help you perform better.
Now, come Main Board experience will matter more because the standard is higher. However, my lead recruiter told me quite plainly that you can have all the experience in the world and mess up, or conversely, have no experience and impress. I'd say half of the people in my group at Briefing were in UOTC or cadets, and there's no arguing with the fact that it shows initiative and helps build a profile of someone who wants to go to Sandhurst. As someone else stated, there are routes other than OTC for gaining experience and all of them are equally as good.
As to the benefit of doing UOTC compared to not doing it? From the answers I was given by those in my group, it does make you comfortable in a military atmosphere, which might help calm the nerves. Things like fieldcraft will inevitably help. However, UOTC are explicitly not allowed to coach you to pass AOSB so you'll be doing most of the prep yourself.
Hope this helps.
Original post by TheHungryBadger
Hi. Attended AOSB Briefing on Tuesday so think I'll be able to help you out.
Essentially, prior experience matters, but it's useless if you don't perform over the 1.5 days. My leadership experience was extremely limited -- 18 years old and still at sixth form, not a team captain or prefect etc -- but I still pulled off a Cat 1. It's not going to help a huge amount in their decision, but if you apply the skills you've picked up there, it could help you perform better.
Now, come Main Board experience will matter more because the standard is higher. However, my lead recruiter told me quite plainly that you can have all the experience in the world and mess up, or conversely, have no experience and impress. I'd say half of the people in my group at Briefing were in UOTC or cadets, and there's no arguing with the fact that it shows initiative and helps build a profile of someone who wants to go to Sandhurst. As someone else stated, there are routes other than OTC for gaining experience and all of them are equally as good.
As to the benefit of doing UOTC compared to not doing it? From the answers I was given by those in my group, it does make you comfortable in a military atmosphere, which might help calm the nerves. Things like fieldcraft will inevitably help. However, UOTC are explicitly not allowed to coach you to pass AOSB so you'll be doing most of the prep yourself.
Hope this helps.
Essentially, prior experience matters, but it's useless if you don't perform over the 1.5 days. My leadership experience was extremely limited -- 18 years old and still at sixth form, not a team captain or prefect etc -- but I still pulled off a Cat 1. It's not going to help a huge amount in their decision, but if you apply the skills you've picked up there, it could help you perform better.
Now, come Main Board experience will matter more because the standard is higher. However, my lead recruiter told me quite plainly that you can have all the experience in the world and mess up, or conversely, have no experience and impress. I'd say half of the people in my group at Briefing were in UOTC or cadets, and there's no arguing with the fact that it shows initiative and helps build a profile of someone who wants to go to Sandhurst. As someone else stated, there are routes other than OTC for gaining experience and all of them are equally as good.
As to the benefit of doing UOTC compared to not doing it? From the answers I was given by those in my group, it does make you comfortable in a military atmosphere, which might help calm the nerves. Things like fieldcraft will inevitably help. However, UOTC are explicitly not allowed to coach you to pass AOSB so you'll be doing most of the prep yourself.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for your insight.
I have prior leadership experience and will be starting uni in September, hence UOTC. I just want to give myself the best chance possible.
Original post by Yemo Kala
Thank you for your insight.
I have prior leadership experience and will be starting uni in September, hence UOTC. I just want to give myself the best chance possible.
I have prior leadership experience and will be starting uni in September, hence UOTC. I just want to give myself the best chance possible.
No worries, you're in a better position than me. UOTC can't hurt, and it'll almost certainly help you get a taste for it, but it won't set you apart. AOSB really isn't much to worry about; it was far more relaxed than I thought, and the DS aren't looking to catch you out -- they just want to see how you cope with pressure.
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