Physical Education Officer Jobs in Liverpool on your local Liverpool jobs site. Careers in Liverpool, local employment and work in Liverpool.

Skip to the content

Job Search

search
by sector
by location

Quick Search

Keywords

Region

Location

Sector

Salary

Physical Education Officer

Posted By: RAF
Address:
Contact: 0845 605 5555
Date Posted: 1st Dec 2008
Salary: Excellent
Location: Liverpool
Reference Code:
Views Since Posting: 6
Full Description:

Play a vital role in developing the body, mind and winning spirit of the Royal Air Force’s most important asset – its people

Overview
As a Physical Education Officer (PEdO), one of your primary roles will be to promote and manage programmes of physical development at a variety of military establishments. All RAF personnel are required to be fit so that they can perform their tasks effectively, whether on operations or based at their home Unit either in the UK or overseas. Through Physical Development programmes the PEd branch helps to develop a “winning spirit” in military personnel.
Like most people in the RAF, you’ll probably move jobs every few years, and each job is known as a tour. Your first tour will more than likely be as a Station PEdO on a RAF Main Operating Base – subsequent tours may be within one of the three Physical Education Branch Specialisations, parachuting, adventurous training and rehabilitation, but more of that later.

YOUR TRAINING

Initial Officer Training
You’ll begin your RAF career with Initial Officer Training at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire. You’ll follow a challenging 32-week course designed to develop your leadership and management skills. The course includes fitness development, military training and academic study as well as practical outdoor leadership challenges.

Specialist training
After Initial Officer Training, you’ll follow a 11-week Initial Specialist Training course at the RAF School of Physical Training, (based at the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering, Cosford). The course is designed to explain the role of Physical Education Officers and give you an introduction to Physical Education in the RAF. You’ll also visit RAF and MOD sites which specialise in parachuting, adventurous training, rehabilitation and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Extraction. When you’ve completed your Initial Specialist Training, you’ll receive your first posting.

Your first tour

For your first tour, you’ll probably be posted to an RAF base where you’ll head a team of Physical Training Instructors. The job provides challenge and scope for initiative in managing the RAF’s Fitness Strategy, which includes fitness testing for all RAF personnel and ensuring that personnel have the opportunity to undertake fitness training at least 3 times a week. PEdOs also co-ordinate the Station’s adventurous training programme where there are ample opportunities to develop personal expertise. The functional role of the Station may also affect the responsibilities of the PEdO. For example, at a training unit there will be a formal physical education programme to run for all trainees, whereas on a flying unit the physical education staff support the training of aircrew in Survive, Evade, Resist and Extract techniques. Whatever the role of the unit, as the PEd development advisor to the Station Commander, the PEdO is offered ample opportunity to demonstrate enterprise and aptitude for the specialist nature of the duties.

Subsequent Tours
At any time in their career, PEdOs may be required to serve in one, or more, of the specialist areas for which the PEd Specialisation has responsibility. There is a likelihood that new entrants will be streamed into the Parachute Jumping Instructor (PJI) sub-specialisation at an early stage of their career (usually after one tour as a PEdO on a station). It is important, therefore, that entrants recognise this fact. The specialist areas are Parachute Jumping Instructor, Adventurous Training Instructor or Remedial Instructor.

• Adventurous Training. The RAF places great emphasis on the value of adventurous training as a means of enhancing personal development and leadership. In addition to providing specialist expertise in this area at station level, PEdOs head the staff at the RAF’s Force Development Training Centres. Others are employed at specialist RAF training units where much of the work involves outdoor activities, and some PEdOs who have gained the necessary qualifications serve on the staffs at Joint Services Adventurous Training Centres.

• Military Parachuting. The PEd Specialisation’s long-standing involvement with parachute training has its origins in the formation of British Airborne Forces in the early days of World War II. All PJIs are drawn from the Specialisation and are involved at the forefront in developing operational practices, equipment and training. PEdOs are employed as PJIs within the training environment of No1 PTS and can also serve with 16 Air Assault Brigade and with UK Special Forces.

• Rehabilitation Duties. The PEd Specialisation is intrinsically involved with the rehabilitation of injured personnel as Remedial Instructors (RI) through the delivery of group exercise therapy, in support of the Medical Branch. There are increasing opportunities for PEdOs to work in this area of employment, particularly at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Epsom, Surrey.

Other areas of Employment
There is also an opportunity to work in the field of Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Extraction training either on flying Units or at one of the Training centres. Furthermore you may well have the opportunity to work in a Joint Services environment or away from specialisation ie flight commander for Initial Officer Training. Serving in the Falkland Islands and at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus are “in role” tours. Plus there is an increasing potential to work in an Out Of Area appointment as we, seek to deploy PEdOs on overseas detachments of between 4 and 6 months.

Ongoing development
As a Physical Education Officer, you’ll have extensive opportunities for further professional development throughout your career. As well as leadership and management training, there are PEd specialist training courses which will be undertaken by selected personnel.

YOUR FUTURE

Career prospects
Normally, you’ll join the RAF as a Flying Officer on a Short Service Commission of six years. After two years of productive service you may apply for your commission to be converted to a full Permanent Commission of 18 years. Promotion to Flight Lieutenant normally ranges between 2-4 years of satisfactory service. Promotion to the rank of Squadron Leader and beyond is by competitive selection, and on reaching the rank of Sqn Ldr you may apply for your commission to be extended until the age of 55.

Transferable skills
The skills and experience you gain throughout your career as a Physical Education Officer could equip you for a number of civilian jobs, including:

• Leisure facilities manager.

• Personal Development Trainer/consultant

• Outward bound instructor/centre manager.

• Personal fitness trainer.

• PE teacher.

HOW TO JOIN

You can join the RAF at any time, as long as you meet the entry qualifications set out below. For some candidates, however, there may be alternative ways to join.

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS

Age limits
Candidates for the PEd Specialisation are normally selected so that they are able to enter full-time service training before their 27th birthday. Exceptionally, candidates may be considered, on merit, up to their 37th birthday.

Academic qualifications
In addition to passes at GCSE (Grade C or above) in English Language and Mathematics, candidates applying for commissioning in the PEd Specialisation must have a relevant degree in either Sports Science, Outdoor Activities or Rehabilitation of Sports Injuries from a recognised UK university or equivalent. The degree must be achieved at 2:2 level or better. Candidates who cannot offer first degrees in any of the above subjects but who have higher degrees (e.g. MSc in Sports Science, or MA in Leadership) or industry recognised qualifications (e.g. NVQ level 5) will be considered.

Entry test
Pass at the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre and confirmation of suitability for PEdO by the Physical Education Branch.
The Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre is at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. You’ll spend four days at the selection centre and we’ll assess your potential to develop officer qualities, including communication skills, self-motivation, maturity, physical fitness and leadership skills.

Nationality
You must have been born in the United Kingdom or a country which was, at the time, a member of the Commonwealth, or the Republic of Ireland. In addition, you must have been a citizen of one of those countries since birth. You may also join if you have dual British/other nationality.

Residency
Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should normally have resided there for the five years immediately preceding your application. However, providing satisfactory enquiries can be made in your country of residence, we may be able to consider your application even if you have never lived in the UK.

Equal opportunities
The RAF values every individual’s unique contribution, irrespective of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or social background.