Army Launches Reserve Recruitment Campaign to Highlight Part-Time Veterinary Roles

New research, commissioned as part of the British Army’s new Army Reserve recruitment campaign, has revealed that almost seven in 10 people are not aware of the part-time veterinary roles available with the Army Reserve. The survey, carried out by OnePoll, also revealed that seven in 10 people in the UK would consider voluntary work on top of their day jobs. When asked what was missing from their day jobs, Britons said they lacked an exciting and challenging role (24%), and the opportunity to gain professional qualifications (20%) and travel (22%). Three in 10 Britons said they would consider joining the Army Reserve to benefit from all of these opportunities. The British Army’s new nationwide Army Reserve recruitment campaign was launched in January. The campaign aims to showcase to 18-50 year olds some of the unique volunteering opportunities available for specialist reservist vets in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC). This could include Veterinary Officer roles that look after military animals and advise on working animals, disease control and biosecurity. Recruits have the opportunity to develop their veterinary skills and learn how to use them in a military context, as well as receiving military training, which can benefit them in their civilian careers. The RAVC provides the service lead in the development of good husbandry, training practice, preventative medicine and care for service animals wherever the British Army may be around the world. The RAVC also recently set up the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment which has opened up a number of opportunities for trained vets in health maintenance roles with the Military Working Dogs (MWD). The campaign shows reservists taking part in a range of activities from live firing exercises in Challenger tanks to underwater welding, and from lagoon diving to delivering emergency medical supplies and humanitarian aid. Army reservists get paid for their time and can even qualify for a tax-free annual bonus. The Army also pays for reservists to gain civilian qualifications while they volunteer - from apprenticeships, literacy and numeracy skills up to A-Level equivalent - which improve employability outside of the Army in civilian life. Over 1,500 employers nationwide have publicly pledged their support for employing reservists, and over 1,000 have a reservist HR policy in place. For more information about the rewarding full-time and part-time jobs available with the Army, visit www.army.mod.uk/jobs, search Army Reserves or call 0845 600 8080.