Being a Royal Signals Soldier

What does being a Royal Signals Soldier mean?  You are offered the chance of a unique lifestyle in a highly technical Corps with first class rates of pay (yippee!).  They look for intelligent, keen, male AND female individuals who will receive top-notch training as a soldier and in a specialist trade.  You will need to be relatively fit as the initial training can require a lot of stamina, energy and all-round good health.  You will also be given the opportunity to gain qualifications such as NVQs/SVQs, information technology, driving licences and some top technicians (those that are either Royal Signals Systems Engineering Technicians or Royal Signals Installation Technicians) also qualify for a Bachelor of Science Degree!  What more could you ask for?  Oh, and yeah, you get paid for it!!!

Training

Every recruit in the TA Signals has to go through basic recruit training.  The only exception to this are any soldiers with previous military experience.
During your training you will learn all the basic soldiering skills on training weekends, midweek drill nights and finally a two week course (normally held at a Recruit Training Centre).  You will be taught about such things as physical fitness, field craft, First Aid, weapon handling and map reading.

Climbing the Ranks

You will also get the chance through the course of the years to "move up the ladder" and if you stick at it long enough, who knows what rank you might be when you leave?  Below is an approximate projection of how the ranking system works (taken from http://www.army.mod.uk).  Although, if you excel in what you do, you never know, you may get kicked up a rung a bit quicker.

0-3yrs:	Signaller	No stripes
3-6yrs:	Lance Corporal
6-9yrs:	Corporal
9-12yrs:	Sergeant
12-15yrs:	Staff Sergeant
15-18yrs:	Warrant Officer Class 2
18-21yrs:	Warrant Officer Class 1