Initial Training

INFANTRY TRAINING CENTRE

The Infantry Training Centre Catterick (ITC Catterick) trains all the Army’s infantrymen, producing some of the best infantry soldiers in the world.

The Combat Infantryman's Course builds up skills and fitness at a gradual pace. This involves learning individual skills first, followed by Section and then Platoon skills, ending with an assessment in all subjects of which you have to be able to pass.

During training, recruits are taught the importance of discipline, integrity, loyalty and respect for others. They learn that being a soldier is about putting others first and having the courage to know the right thing to do in any given situation.

You can find out more about ITC Catterick here.

ARMY FOUNDATION COLLEGE 

If you’re 16 or 17 you'll train at AFC Harrogate as a junior soldier. You'll learn all the skills you need, from map reading to how to handle a weapon.

Once you've finished the course at Harrogate, you'll be old enough, trained and ready, to join The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment as a soldier in the Regular Army.

You can find out more about the Army Foundation College here.

ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY SANDHURST

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) is where all officers in the British Army are trained to take on the responsibility of leading their soldiers. During training, all officer cadets learn to live by the academy’s motto:

‘Serve to Lead’

Training at RMAS lasts for 44 weeks, broken down into three 14-week terms. Between each term, there are adventurous training exercises and 2-3 weeks of leave.

• Term One focuses on basic military skills, fitness and decision making.
• Term Two continues the development of leadership skills and has a major academic component. Officer cadets select their future corps or regiment at this stage.
• Term Three puts the officer cadet's new skills into practice on complex and demanding training exercises in the UK and overseas.

You can find out more about RMAS here.