Today, our engineering students were treated to a fascinating insight into the world of British Army engineering, as Corporal Deon Owen from the Reading Recruiting Office visited Newbury College alongside his colleague, Lance Corporal Ben Clark. We’d like to say a huge thank you to both Corporal Owen and Lance Corporal Clark for giving their time, sharing their experiences so openly, and showing students just how many engineering pathways exist within the Army’s Corps of Royal Engineers.
It’s easy to assume that careers in the British Army are restricted to our Uniformed Public Services programmes; today’s session showed students something bigger: a world of engineering careers they may not have considered at all. The Royal Engineers aren’t a single role—they’re a diverse profession, covering everything from surveying and design/draughting to construction materials, electrical work, plant operation, and specialist disciplines.
At Newbury College, our ethos is “Careers, not Courses” and this visit brought that to life brilliantly. The British Army’s approach is also rooted in developing people for long-term progression: building competence through structured training, real responsibility, and nationally recognised learning. The slides explained to students how the organisation supports apprenticeships that let people learn while doing the job, gaining recognised qualifications, with over 13,000 apprentices currently enrolled across its programmes.
The visiting officers also made it clear that opportunity isn’t only for those who follow a traditional academic path, with many roles that help individuals earn qualifications as they progress. That mirrors what we aim to do every day: help students find the route that fits them, then support them to success.
A key theme from Deon and Ben’s session was about values. The British Army’s published Values and Standards include Respect for Others and Integrity at the core. That aligns strongly with Newbury College’s own values of Aspiration, Integrity and Respect.
Course Leader, Matt Jones, said:
“Whether students ultimately choose the Army, an apprenticeship, or direct employment, the transferable skills discussed today are exactly what employers across engineering and related industries need: teamwork, problem-solving, technical discipline, safety culture, communication, leadership, planning, and calm decision-making.
“Most importantly, the session helped students broaden their horizons. Not everyone arrives at college already knowing their ‘end job’, and that’s okay. I hope that sessions like this give students real-world insight, challenge their assumptions, and open up career routes they might not have considered.”
Deon and Ben’s visit is a great example of what we’re proud of at Newbury College: strong, practical engagement with employers and external organisations that helps young people become truly career-ready. Through guest speakers, industry links, employer-set projects and careers activities, students gain the knowledge, confidence and perspective they need to make informed choices—and take their next step with ambition.
Once again, thank you to Corporal Owen and Lance Corporal Clark for inspiring our learners. We look forward to welcoming you back to Newbury College soon. To find out more about Newbury College and our “Careers, not Courses” ethos, visit newbury-college.ac.uk/careersnotcourses