At a glance
- Officer
- engineering
Building bases, blowing up bridges, clearing mines: the range of challenges in this role will test your skills, but with expertise that comes from first-class training and good leadership, you’ll succeed every time.
As an Engineer Troop Officer, you’re the expert behind Army engineering projects worldwide. You could plan, lead and manage demolitions, or set up water supplies. Or you might be tasked with building runways, clearing mines, or advising friendly forces on terrain and capabilities. You learn the principles of military engineering on the Young Officers’ course, and later how to project manage a construction site. You could work in one of 15 regiments and switch between them throughout your career. You may also choose to do the Parachute Course, Commando Course or Diver Course at any point up to senior Captain.
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
Work with ammunition and explosives
Lead and manage people
Be involved in both general and military construction
Get involved in civil engineering projects
Learn about decision making and responsibility
Have any questions? Talk with us
Reserve (part time)
Entry requirements
Age:
From 17 years & 9 months to 48 years & 11 months
Qualifications:
72 UCAS points and 35 ALIS points at GCSE or equivalent (including a minimum GCSE grade C/4, or Scottish National 4 grade C, in English, Maths and a science or foreign language).
Basic physical fitness assessment:
Mid Thigh Pull 76kg
Medicine Ball Throw 3.1m
MSFT (beep test) level 8.07
Training for the role
Step 1
You'll start with the Army Reserve Commissioning Course at the prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
Step 2
Next you do the Young Officer's course at the Royal School of Military Engineering in Minley, Surrey. You learn about battlefield and construction engineering, construction management, water supply, demolitions (including live explosive training), bridge building and base construction. You also learn skills in reconnaissance, advising on engineering issues, and the management of people and equipment.
Qualifications you could get after training
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development
Chartered Management Institute
Chartered in Institution of Royal Engineers (engineering degree not required)
Chartered Engineer (in varying institutions)
City and Guilds certificate in Human Resource Management
Edexel/BTEC certificate in Management Studies
Postgraduate certificate in Human Resource Management
Site Safety Supervisor
Watermanship Safety Officer
Explosives Safety Officer
Pay & benefits
You'll get paid a day rate according to your rank, starting from £83.31 per day once you have passed Army Officer Selection and rising to £99.60 per day once you've commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. 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.