Continuous Training & Employer Advice

Really need some advice here guys — particularly anyone in RMR London who's familiar with the scheduling.

Want to give me employer some detail into how much continuous training is likely to be involved in one year, and also so I know how much of my holiday allowance I need to use.

Taking unpaid leave at the end of Phase 1 A, won't be a problem for me as its only 10 days off work.

However, most people are now saying Phase 1A+B can be done in a year, but bearing in mind RMR London starts in September, based on my estimates I'd need to take 28 days continuous in one calendar year?

Hypothetically, if I start training in September (best case scenario) I'd be looking at using 10 days off work in February to complete the 14 days at the end of Phase 1A. Then 6 months down the line I'd be completing Phase 1B, perhaps July — the same calendar year (there lies the problem of taking more leave, which I'm not sure my employer would be keen on).

What are my options? Could I complete 1B, then wait till the new calendar year (when I have more holiday) to do my commando tests? Or is it compulsory that the commando tests are done at a certain time?

Finally, is it possible to miss 1/2 Wednesday nights in a year?

 

Hi mate,

It's a pain in the a##e. I've had to book 20 days annual leave for the P1A course and RFCC as they're in the same leave year (P1A in April, RFCC in November). Each course is two weeks, so 10 working days in each (assuming you have a nice Monday-Friday job like me).

You could probably defer your commando course, and do it with a different unit or another troop. By the sounds of it, once you get to that stage, as long as you're a top bloke, there's a fair bit of flexibility. People get injured or fail the course, so it happens quite often I think.

You can miss the odd Wednesday here and there as long as you let the training team know and you have a decent excuse. Bear in mind though, you cover quite a lot each time, as each evening is quite a big chunk of your total training.

 

Thanks mate — top answer! One more question, is there any leave in RMR? Eg: Summer, Xmas and Easter like the regs? Should take the GF on a nice holiday at least once in a while

 

Yep, you get Easter, summer and Christmas leave. I think it's pretty much the same as the regs.

 

Does your employer have additional holiday entitlements for reserve forces?

Worth asking as know some employers have it but dont advertise it well (only found it in my employees handbook by accident!)

 

Unfortunately they don't, but I could probably take unpaid leave if needed.

 

This only clicked a few weeks ago for me. I assumed the continuous training would be once a year but soon realised it would be more like how you've suggested. Very annoying, but will just have to beg my work for more unpaid leave I guess!

I'm sure that may be an option available, but surely if/once you get to that stage, the last thing you'd want to do is wait a year and do it with another troop!

That must have hurt! I've gone down the extra annual leave for no pay route otherwise I think my GF would assassinate me for having zero holiday left! I'm guessing you're given a full schedule of dates before RT starts so you know what's coming up and when?

 

Yep, you get the dates a few months in advance so you can plan.

 

Absolutely! But surely there must be options...I suppose I could always quit my job if the worst came to the worst

Well lets cross that bridge when it comes to it

 

TRUE!