Army soldier

As an Army soldier, you will choose from many different occupations. Whatever your main duties, you must train in combat skills.

Also known as:

• Soldier

Work activities

You will enter the Army as private, and go on to learn a trade: there are over 200 different jobs to choose from, including:

• Ammunition technician.
• Doctor.
• Guardsman.
• Infantry soldier.
• Tank crewman.

Whatever role you go on to take, you’ll also be trained in the skills you need for combat and will, at some point, work in battle areas. As an Army soldier, you must be prepared to live and serve anywhere in the UK and overseas. Sometimes you will have to work in difficult, dangerous (and sometimes life-threatening) conditions.

Personal qualities and skills

As an Army soldier, you need to be:

• Physically fit.
• Determined.
• Cool-headed.
• Intelligent.
• Energetic.
• Flexible and adaptable.

You need to have:

• Stamina.
• Quick reactions.
• The ability to push yourself.
• A sense of responsibility.
• A readiness to obey orders.
• The ability to work as a member of a team.

Pay and opportunities

Levels of pay are set by the Government following recommendations made by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body. Soldiers are paid through a system which allocates a level of pay based on a number of factors including rank, performance, experience, and trade/specialism. Pay currently starts at £18,687 for trainees and rises to £23,496 for those who have completed their initial training (January 2024).

Hours of work for soldiers vary depending on operational requirements, but may include shifts, early starts, late finishes, weekend work and working on public holidays. As a soldier, you may need to work at short notice, and you should expect to work longer hours during military exercises or on operational missions.

Soldiers are based at military locations throughout the UK. Soldiers can expect to be deployed anywhere in the world, sometimes at short notice. This can mean extended periods spent away from home.

Where are vacancies advertised?

See the Army’s website for the latest recruitment information.

Entry routes and training 

You must be at least 16 years old to join the Army as a soldier. You can start your application when you're 15 years and 7 months. You must be enlisted before your 36th birthday. If you are under 18, you will need consent from your parents/guardian.

You usually need to be a British or Irish citizen to join (sometimes the Army also accepts applications from Commonwealth citizens).

Before you enlist, you will have an interview at your local armed forces careers office. This helps to find which jobs in the Army might be suitable for you. The next step is to attend an two-day assessment centre, which includes a medical, a physical assessment and entrance tests.

Training covers basic military training and your chosen job role. You will learn how to fire a weapon and outdoor survival skills. You will also work on your fitness. You will receive hands on training from both civilians and Army experts.

The Army has the largest apprenticeship programme in the country. Intermediate (level 2) and advanced (level 3) apprenticeships are available in the following areas:

• Public services and health.
• Engineering.
• Telecommunications and IT.
• Animal care.
• Logistics.
• Construction.
• Business administration.

There is a clear route of progression and promotion available to Army personnel.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Some careers in the Army – working with children and vulnerable adults and working with sensitive information – are exceptions to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if asked to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

There is no minimum educational requirement for entry as an Army soldier. However, for some jobs, such as military police and some medical and engineering roles, you will need appropriate GCSEs (grades 9-4) or other relevant qualifications.

If you don’t have GCSEs, you can still apply for an intermediate apprenticeship in the Army. The Army will help you gain level 2 functional skills qualifications. To get onto an advanced apprenticeship in the Army, you’ll typically need five GCSEs graded 9-4, including English and maths.

Adult opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. You must be enlisted before your 36th birthday.

Related careers

• Army officer
• Close protection officer
• Door supervisor
• RAF airman/woman
• Royal Marines commando
• Royal Navy rating