Whether you join the Sea Cadets, the Army Cadet Force or the Air Cadets, being a cadet gives you the opportunity to take part in a huge range of exciting and adventurous, military-themed activities. It could be flying a plane, completing an obstacle course, or learning to sail – there is something for everyone.
In addition, there’s lots of chances to gain nationally-recognised qualifications such as BTECs and Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as to learn those all-important ‘soft’ skills that employers increasingly look for, such as teamwork and leadership.
No matter what your starting point, the cadets will give you lots of great opportunities to shine and you’ll definitely see your confidence grow.
Cadet activities
Parade nights
Most cadet units parade one or two nights a week, starting usually at around 7pm or 7.30pm. It is an opportunity for cadets to come together to do activities such as drill, training specific to their particular cadet force and work towards achieving new levels and promotion.
Residential camps
Cadets go on weekend camps and summer camps typically held in military venues within the UK and further afield. The annual summer camps include a multitude of outdoor activities as well as opportunities to get new qualifications in shooting, skippering, windsurfing, flying – all dependent on the cadet organisation you join.
Drill
Drill is a core activity within the cadets and often applies to cadets marching in a squad. Drill trains you to be organised and disciplined, to remember instructions and carry them out accurately. It also trains cadets to work as a team – when a squad of cadets comes to attention, there’s only one ‘bang’ as all their feet hit the ground at the same time.
Sport
While physical training is often an element in parade nights, sports are played at weekend and summer camps and cadets have the opportunity to take part in local and national competitions. Typical sports include cross country, rugby, orienteering, shooting and many more.
External qualifications
All cadet organisations do Duke of Edinburgh Awards, external First Aid qualifications and BTEC in subjects ranging from leadership to uniformed services. Our cadets often find these qualifications stand them in good stead as they enter adult life.
Why our young people love being cadets
Leading Cadet Sonny Hague of Scarborough Sea Cadets
“I really enjoy everything about Sea Cadets, the standout thing for me is time spent with my friends, the activities we do and in particular the competitions, weekends away and offshore trips.
“A lot of the opportunities and qualifications we gain are nationally recognised, like the Royal Yachting Association, Duke of Edinburgh’s award, STEM and First Aid.”
Cadet Company Sergeant Major Zoe McCosh of Yorkshire (North and West) Army Cadet Force
“Cadets has given me confidence to speak to new people, teach others and try new things. I now aim to take every opportunity available to try and push myself.
“Before joining cadets, I would have never imagined standing in front of a group to teach, but it has helped me get better at presenting. I actually enjoy it now because it’s very rewarding to see the new cadets learn skills that I’ve shown them.”
Cadet Warrant Officer Kiyan Eiles of 110 (City of York) Squadron RAF Air Cadets
“I’ve always had a strong liking for technology and that was amplified through the different cyber courses that the air cadets offer.
“My favourite was the Gold Cyber Course, where I spent a week at RAF Cosford completing the cyber security modules of the Cyberspace Specialist Training. This has inspired me to do my university degree in Computer Science with Cybersecurity.”