High Wycombe and Working hours/Postings Info

[Munue]

Hello All,

Ex-Army here and hoping to rejoin to RAF.

Hoping anyone could assist me with a few questions.

1. What’s the general working hours like in the RAF? Is it similar to the army where you get Wednesday sport afternoons and Friday half days (depending on unit of course)?
2. Has anyone worked at High Wycombe recently as a cyber communication Engineer and what’s it like working there? Is it a static role? Day to day activities?
3. How long are the postings nowadays. I gathered minimum 5 years? Is this still the case and do they do it more than 5 years?

Hope to hear some answers real soon before I sign the final dotted line.

Many thanks.

 

[stormwell]

Cyber Communication Engineer?

Do you mean Cyberspace Communications Specialist (basically ICT Technican)?

If so, check out 90 Signals Unit at Leeming as that is a probable first posting (as in 90% likely). From my understanding (though somebody more experience can better answer) it's a broad and varied role ranging from managing the IT Hub on a station through to working on radar and coms equipment, though if with the Tactical Communications Wing you're likely to get frequent deployments.

Minimum postings are 3 years but can last up to 5.

 

[Munue]

Cyber Communication Engineer?

Do you mean Cyberspace Communications Specialist (basically ICT Technican)?

If so, check out 90 Signals Unit at Leeming as that is a probable first posting (as in 90% likely). From my understanding (though somebody more experience can better answer) it's a broad and varied role ranging from managing the IT Hub on a station through to working on radar and coms equipment, though if with the Tactical Communications Wing you're likely to get frequent deployments.

Minimum postings are 3 years but can last up to 5.

Hi Stormwell,

Thank you for coming back to me. Sorry about the incorrect role name but yes that is the one.

Ah I see, okay so with High Wycombe being a tactical communication wing, involves frequent deployments to overseas or U.K. mainland? Hoping someone could also share some light on how long the deployments generally are. What are the general working hours of RAF?

Many thanks.

 

[stormwell]

Hi Stormwell,

Thank you for coming back to me. Sorry about the incorrect role name but yes that is the one.

Ah I see, okay so with High Wycombe being a tactical communication wing, involves frequent deployments to overseas or U.K. mainland? Hoping someone could also share some light on how long the deployments generally are. What are the general working hours of RAF?

Many thanks.

Cool, I'm going for the same trade.

You seemed to have misunderstood me, Tactical Communications Wing (TCW) is part of 90 Signals Unit based at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire.

Postings to bases generally last three to five years whilst operational deployments are around three to six months, this can be wherever the RAF has a presence (ranging from Afghanistan, the Falklands and even the far side of the wilds of Scotland).

As for High Wycombe, there's no guarantee you'll get posted there even if you pick it as one of your preferred postings. After trade training is completed, expect to get posted to Leeming as your first posting (though also a chance of either Boulmer, Marham, Northolt and Waddington for your first posting). You might get lucky and get High Wycombe, just don't build your hopes up as the RAF will send you where it needs you to go.

It's the military, so expect to be on call 24/7 and work a wide range of different shift patterns. You could do Monday to Friday 9-5 or you could do different shifts working 4 on/4 off. Have been told by a RAF recruiter that he got called out at 2am on Christmas Day to help deal with a helicopter crash. It's based on what the RAF wants and needs you to do, sometimes at extremely short notice.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but joining the military you will be expected to fulfil obligations once you've signed on the dotted line. Don't expect it to be like a regular job in civvie street.

Choosing to join the military in general is a pretty big decision and if you still wish to join, then good on you and I wish you all the best.

 

[Dan_Brown]

Hello All,

Ex-Army here and hoping to rejoin to RAF.

Hoping anyone could assist me with a few questions.

1. What’s the general working hours like in the RAF? Is it similar to the army where you get Wednesday sport afternoons and Friday half days (depending on unit of course)?
2. Has anyone worked at High Wycombe recently as a cyber communication Engineer and what’s it like working there? Is it a static role? Day to day activities?
3. How long are the postings nowadays. I gathered minimum 5 years? Is this still the case and do they do it more than 5 years?

Hope to hear some answers real soon before I sign the final dotted line.

Many thanks.

I think you've been taken in by the "army dig in, RAF check in" type stories! Ex-Army here too and i do not regret the move across, but the RAF is still the military.

As above you could find yourself 8-5, or on a shift pattern and during which you will be expected to undertake roles such as Duty Tech etc.

I'm working with a bunch of techies atm and they get 2 PT sessions a week for an hour each + 30mins to shower and back into work - they have all but given up on organised PT as work keeps getting in the way.

Fridays, i keep someone in the office until between 1500 - 1700 and like to get others away between 1200 - 1300, but dependent on Unit/Role.

Also, in the current climate, most are WFH, especially at HWY, but hopefully by the time you are in, things may(!) have gotten better.

Dets - usually 4 months, but again, dependent on Unit/Role, some are continually rotating supporting specific aircraft platforms.

Postings, 3 - 5 years, but you can look to move after 18 months. I have extended at one place, but that was for the Service Need and don't think that's the norm these days.

With your army skills and nose for bullshit, you will breeze basic etc, just use your knowledge and experience to good effect and not adopt a "better than you" attitude

Go for it - still the best decision i made.

 

[Munue]

Ahhh awesome and thanks for sharing some light on this.

Yeah I’ve been out of the army for 5 years (served 12 year) and rejoining to RAF instead to which I got an offer to High Wycombe.
Really just wanted to see what they do there day in day out or life as an ICT tech. I believe they do have an element of 90 Signal Unit there as well but no idea what their role is.

I realised no one mentioned anything about sports activities. How often would RAF cut away for sports? (I.e if you’re a keen sportsman as well) I’m a rugby man myself but also do various other sport like cycling, etc.

When you mentioned working from home, does that mean living in personnel have to stay in their SLA? Does High Wycombe even have living in accommodation or you have to source something outside the wire as I heard things have changed?

Definitely back in my time, the royal Corp of Signals wanted to be more like infantry rather than tradesman. Indeed Hopefully no dig in and more check in type of scenario with RAF.

As a rejoiner, only doing 1 week rejoiner course at Halton then getting posted to unit.

 

[muttywhitedog]

I left in 2014 and cant speak for now, but sports afternoons seemed to be an urban myth since post-GW 2. There'd be the occasional inter-base game, but invariably they'd be called off because one or the other bases couldn't raise a side due to work commitments.

My last involvement with organised sport was the mandated PT sessions, which similarly seemed to be dropped the minute we got busy.

 

[vim_fuego]

I'll have a stab at 1. for you. Whilst I left some time ago my current role has me still working within the RAF and on station for visits.

It's fair to say that the Army do things differently. More emphasis on doing things like exercise en-masse for example. My perspective is that in the RAF you can do things like 5-aside or volleyball during the working day if you have time and sufficient numbers from yours or other sections who also have spare time but the old Sports afternoons have long gone in most locations...Its down to the individual to keep in shape and that often translates into whatever teams sports you play for station of civvy clubs and lunchtime circuits/time in the gym doing cardio and weights.

Gash time off/early stacks is down to your NCO, the workload and your general attitude and performance. I would get people who had to travel away first and I felt that was the Wider general rule of thumb.

 

[Barch]

... snip ...

Gash time off/early stacks is down to your NCO, the workload and your general attitude and performance. I would get people who had to travel away first and I felt that was the Wider general rule of thumb.

On 11 at Leeming I had a liney that travelled to Scotland every weekend, his early stack job was to get the flight line oil trolley ready for Monday morning, it had to immaculate before he was allowed to leg it. It took a couple of weeks to get him to get it right before he saw the light and after that during the week he kept on top of it so that the Friday job was easier and quicker.

 

[Munue]

Very useful information so far guys! Once again Thank you for this and very much appreciated. I guess for a keen active sports person like me can surely do it after working hours/ weekends and joining a civi club.

Any ideas about what the single living accommodation are like? Especially in High Wycombe. My last army days had us living in Z type accommodation (they called it). Not sure if all military establishments would now have these newer types? The reason is because I got a lot of things I would like to keep but if the rooms are too small then I would have to start getting rid of them.

thanks.

 

[ERT]

You didnt say what rank you were rejoining at.

My own tip is to remember the rank structure, arrive on time and keep quiet? It will take you time to adjust to the RAF way of life, its kinda like a civilian business mentality, but we wear blue uniform. We rarely/ shout, order people around etc.; people will want to do the job, because they like the job (and at times work beyond shift hours to finish a task). You will be around your senior officers, and its quiet easy to moan/complain without realising your skipping the whole rank chain... (unless intended).

You'll have plenty of options for sport, you can join one of the many RAF Sports Associations, attend Sports Fixtures for Station & Service (& civilian sport clubs), but also attend Service Overseas Visits / Tours every year. If your good enough for County, or National Level, then you could be selected for "Elite Level" and even then be posted into a special position to work with the GB team. Unsure if HWY (High wycome) has a Swimming Pool, if it doesnt, there will be cheaper entry to a local pool through the Stn Gym.

Accomodation, i would suspect you will move into Transit (bunkbed at worst, sink in room, communal showers / toilets) initially, then after a period of time (when it becomes available) you will be given SLAM (Double with En-Suite) accomodation. I think all accomodation has Washers / Dryers provided free of charge, and fast WiFi should be in every barrack block. If your lucky, you might even have a Sky Tv connection point / Tv Aerial point ~ as designed in 2005.

High Wycombe is 2 stations, the main site which is High Wycombe, but also Air Command (a seperate site). I am unsure if there are many juniors around, but there will be a lot of officers. Good transport links for London, most places except Norfolk...

Not many people drink these days, after work its back to the rooms, play online games or hit the gym/sports. Expect there to be minimum socialising outside formalised functions... if your in the bar every night, i suspect you could be the only one.

Then onto education, you can undertake University Short Courses, attend Courses at MOD Shrivenham, or even sponsored Masters / Engineering Degrees through the service. These should & must be self driven, as work will become a priority to some people, all work & no play whilst free learning is all free, and available to everyone. The courses are available through FDS (Force Development Squadron) / TDF (Training Development Flight) / LFF (Learning Forces Flight).

Joining as a Techie, you'll also get "Techie Pay", a bonus for being a techie in a techie role. Then we have the EngTech / IEng / CEng scheme, where you can get between £2k-£5k lump sum for registration (subject to rank)...

Now, if you fancy being an officer, there is always the Basic Entry Scheme to become either a Aerosystems Engineer or a Comms Engineer (Commisioned Officer). There is a IBN on the RAF Intranet about this. You undertake OASC at Cranwell, then off to Cosford for 14 months, into Cranwell for Officer Training, then back to Cosford for more training (whilst all being paid)...

I wish you well..

 

[stormwell]

Very useful information so far guys! Once again Thank you for this and very much appreciated. I guess for a keen active sports person like me can surely do it after working hours/ weekends and joining a civi club.

Any ideas about what the single living accommodation are like? Especially in High Wycombe. My last army days had us living in Z type accommodation (they called it). Not sure if all military establishments would now have these newer types? The reason is because I got a lot of things I would like to keep but if the rooms are too small then I would have to start getting rid of them.

thanks.

I owe you an apology, completely blanked on the fact you were ex-army and not somebody looking to join the military. Sorry about that.

Still, given the trade you want to go in for I still recommend looking up 90 Signals Unit; https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/units/90-signals-unit/

 

[Munue]

@ERT thank you for the detailed information.

Indeed sorry to mention that I’m rejoining as a Corporal considering having left the Army 5 years ago is fortunate. When you mentioned SLAM accommodation, I take you meant a double as in double bed room space and not double (2 men sharing a room)? Thankfully I’m not a shouter or rank pull type of person as I am really easy going and just like to get the job done but good to know who I am surrounded with. I forgot to ask, are techies in HWY a static role or expected to deploy a lot?

@stormwell no worries and thank you for sharing.

 

[ERT]

Hi again,

Yes, a double bed in a double room, not shared. I guess, transit could be bunk beds if your really really unlucky.

Deployments ~ unsure. Not something i can advise on.

 

[unruly1986]

@ERT thank you for the detailed information.

Indeed sorry to mention that I’m rejoining as a Corporal considering having left the Army 5 years ago is fortunate. When you mentioned SLAM accommodation, I take you meant a double as in double bed room space and not double (2 men sharing a room)? Thankfully I’m not a shouter or rank pull type of person as I am really easy going and just like to get the job done but good to know who I am surrounded with. I forgot to ask, are techies in HWY a static role or expected to deploy a lot?

@stormwell no worries and thank you for sharing.

HWY you will have your own room on base. At worst, communal showers/toilets. There may be SLAM; I’m not sure.

As others have mentioned, there are two main sites at HWY. As ICT, you could be at either and there are a few areas in which you could work. One of these may be deployable but I’m not going into detail on here.

As a Cpl you should look to get ICTTech status (google it) ASAP as it bags you £2k. There are also degree schemes available which can take you up to Bachelors level for free - worth doing if you are that way inclined. Also qualifies you for eng officer meaning that you don’t need to spend 18 months at Cosford If you want to go that route.

Workwise it will be a lot less rankist than you will have experienced in the signals. RAF Cpl probably equivalent to a Sigs Sgt, so speak up, look after your Techs and if you see a shit process that can be improved, raise it and offer alternatives.

HWY has a small but adequate gym. Swimming pool not too far away in the local town, where I think you get mil discount. London is accessible and Wycombe is reasonable for shopping/cinema/food etc.

Make the most of it and enjoy.