Cracking the Enigma

Facilitating an environment that assists a cadet in capitalising on their Army Cadet Force experience in such a way that it enhances their career choices, prospects and lifetime earnings is a worthwhile activity.??For an Honorary Colonel, it is arguably the most value added form of advocacy that can be undertaken. That is one reason why cadet focused careers events such as the one that took place just outside York earlier this month are so important.

Ask most people if they have heard of the Army Cadet Force and the probability is that they have.??Ask them to tell you something about the experience the cadets have, and unless the person has had direct involvement with cadets they will likely refer to the presence of cadets at Remembrance Day commemorations.??As important this aspect of cadet life is, particularly given the increasingly important role the Army Cadet Force plays in representing Regiments and Corps within the community, it is only the tip of the iceberg; but this level of understanding explains why the Army Cadet Force remains an Enigma to so many.

The pilot for this months careers event took place back in February 2020, just a month before the Country went into lockdown.??Much smaller, the trial was held in an Army Reserve Centre in Hull and had just 16 employers exhibit to cadets attending from the locality, but proof of concept was achieved. We now just needed the world to return to a degree of normality.

From ongoing conversations, a significant number of larger employers had made it clear that future event would need to have scale. Additionally, the increasing number of employers attending visitors day during the cadets annual training was driving demand from the employers to meet with cadets in an environment where they know they are engaging with cadets.??Something that just cannot be achieved at a school event; assuming that is such school events are available to the employers at all.??

It became apparent that a Yorkshire wide event, held at a central and easily assessable??location, was the next logical step; although it would be incorrect to say that there were no challenges to overcome.??Making sure that the already busy Cadet Force Adult Volunteers were not burdened with the additional administration of organising the event was a critical factor, which is where the subject matter experts of the Reserve Forces & Cadet Association for Yorkshire & the Humber were able to play a pivotal role.??In doing so, also reaping a number of supplemental benefits at the same time from having nearly 50 national and regional employers in one room.

Many of the employers exhibiting had also attended a number of school and collage events over the course of that week, given it was national Apprenticeship Week, so it was an ideal opportunity to ask them if they had any significant observations about how these other events differed. There was a very common theme in the response, which highlighted the confidence and willingness of the cadets to engage, ask questions and respectfully probe the answers they received.??Something they stated the vast majority of other young people fail to do.??Unsurprising to those familiar with the Army Cadet Force, these are just some of the facets of self efficacy, the critical life skills developed, that Professor Simon Denny highlights in is report on the ROI and Social Impact of the Cadet Forces.

Given the success of the event, it is my hope that it can be replicated and developed further.??Helping employers, cadets and parents alike understand the mutual benefit that the Army Cadet Force brings and more importantly cracking the Enigma to release a lifetime of value for each and every cadet.