At a glance
- Soldier
- engineering
Cranes, bridge transporters, Land Rovers – as a specialist Driver, you can drive almost anything. Get trained, qualified and become a key member of our team.
Could you see yourself speeding across the battlefield in a Land Rover to help fellow soldiers? You could be doing just that as an Army Driver. We’ll teach you to drive all kinds of vehicles, from cranes to tank bridge transporters, in all sorts of conditions. That means you’ll get a range of driving licences. Later on, you could manage our fleet. You can also get qualifications – in IT for example – to help you build a career. And when you’re not learning? There’s Army life to enjoy: worldwide travel, sports and activities, plus the chance to make friends for life.
Driver is a Combat role in the Royal Engineers. All the Royal Engineer soldier job roles are divided into 5 groups. When you apply to the Engineers, you will apply to the trade group rather than the specific trade.
The Corps of Royal Engineers allows the Army to work all over the world, whether it's involved in active combat or disaster relief. The Corps are ‘first in’, setting up bases ready for the rest of the Army to arrive and ‘last out’, closing down patrol bases and military camps. The Corps is at the forefront in disaster-relief operations, effecting rapid repairs to damaged infrastructure in stricken areas.
Key Responsibilities
Get a range of driving licences
Drive off-road in challenging conditions
Learn basic maintenance and servicing
Drive a variety of military and civilian vehicles
Travel all over the world
Have any questions? Talk with us
Reserve (part time)
Entry requirements
Age:
From 17 years & 9 months to 42 years & 6 months
Qualifications:
No formal qualifications or experience required.
Basic physical fitness assessment:
Mid Thigh Pull 50kg
Medicine Ball Throw 3m
MSFT (beep test) level 7.5
Army Reserve standards
Mid Thigh Pull: 50kg
Medicine Ball Throw: 2m 70cm
MSFT (beep test): Level 5 shuttle 8
Training for the role
Step 1
Basic Training consists of two main courses and some online training packages. You can book on the courses to fit around your daily life, so it could take you several months to finish your basic training.
Module 1: Foundation Training. 5 alternate residential weekends Fri - Sun at an Army training centre OR a nine-day residential course.
Module 2: Battlecamp. 15-day residential course at an Army training establishment. You will learn fieldcraft, Skill at Arms, fitness training, qualities of a soldier, military knowledge, Battlefield casualty drills, individual health and education. This will culminate with a Passing Off Parade which your family and friends can attend to celebrate your success.
Step 2
Then you take the Reservist Combat Engineer Class 3 course over two weeks, which teaches you basic field engineering skills. It’s then time for driver training at Leconfield East Yorkshire. Here, you get your Cat B, Cat C and C+E licences. You’ll then learn to drive military vehicles, such as the Land Rover, four-tonne Bedford truck, six-tonne MAN SV and the SLDT trucks.
Qualifications you could get after training
Driving Licences – B, C, C+E, D, H
ADR Certification (Hazardous Materials)
HIAB
Pay & benefits
You'll get paid a day rate according to your rank, starting from £63.27 in training and once you're a Private and increasing as you rise through the ranks. This includes being paid for weekly drill nights. Plus, if you complete all of your annual training, you're entitled to a tax-free lump sum called a bounty.
How to Apply
When you decide to apply, your local unit will help you through the process - you don't need to wait until you've finished Army Assessment to get involved.
To join, you have to apply online. The application process will take some time, but you can also ring the unit you're interested in joining - the team there will help often invite you to join them for drill nights, and you'll get support for your application.