A FORMER Tavistock College student returned to the school recently, to inform his old classmates about careers in the Army.­

Gunner Joe Elliott, 18, came back to the college to offer students an insight into the dozens of job roles available in the Army and help them to make informed choices about their future careers.

Joe said: 'If I was still at college I would be in Year 13 but I left after GCSEs. As soon as I finished I went to work in town and thought I wasn't going to go anywhere. I just messed around in school until Year 11 when I decided to buckle down and by then it was too late.

'When I joined the Army I was earning more money, going to more places and seeing things people in Civvy Street wouldn't. I would possibly like to join 29 Commando and be an Army commando so I'll go through the course the Royal Marines do.

'There is such a variety of people in the Army; you don't have to be a certain person, though the lifestyle will suit some better than others.'

Current Year 13 student Luke Hilton Pierce shared a tutor group with Joe and plans to follow him into the military after university.

I've been an active cadet for about five years and I've got relatives in the forces as NCOs and officers,' said Luke.

'I have a self-instilled sense of discipline which I feel would be best applied in the military and a strong sense of patriotism. Originally I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer but I moved across to law and saw it was possible to become a military attorney so I thought I would go for that.'

Year 12 students George Rodgers and Robin Jones both hope to enter the forces after completing medical school.

'The Army seems more interesting on a day-to-day basis and more worthwhile,' said George. 'I came to the careers event to find out more about the different medical roles and what options there would be post-degree.'

Robin said he was looking at the Navy because it would be an exciting lifestyle travelling the world as well as doing medicine.