Year 10 students were put through their paces by members of the Colchester Army Outreach Team as part of the KWS Careers programme. Students were required to work in teams to complete the ‘Tyre Challenge’ (moving numbered tyres across to the opposite side, within specific rules), ‘Minefield’ (using ropes, a hook and a helmet to rescue equipment from a “minefield”) and ‘River Crossing’ (utilising planks to cross the “crocodile infested river” and transport vital equipment over). The students’ teamwork skills were very impressive as they immersed themselves in tasks and some unlikely leaders showed their capacity to communicate and encourage their team members to complete the challenges successfully.

At the end of the school day, the Army volunteers gave a presentation about apprenticeships in the Army, outlining the requirements for entry and progression routes within the Army following completion of the apprenticeships. The talk was extremely informative and sparked many individual questions from students at the end.