from the indo
Weapons and Army life jobs fair draw
A LIFE less ordinary is promised and that, it seems, is what young people want.
With mortar bombs and Scorpion tanks, a Mowag armoured vehicle and Steyr rifles on display, young men thronged the Defence Forces stand at the Opportunities 2003 exhibition in Dublin's RDS at the weekend.
Crowding around a table for a closer look at the standard assault rifle carried by all soldiers, and a collection of other weaponry, it was like Action Man Anonymous.
Careers in the Defence Forces are on offer - from cadetships for officer recruitment, apprenticeships in the Air Corps to general recruitment.
The maximum age requirement for the Army is 25 and for the Naval Service 27 and aspirants must be at least 5ft 4ins tall.
Commandant Robert Duggan, officer in charge of Defence Force competitions with 20 years experience, says a variety of factors are probably influencing the surge of interest - a third of it from young women.
"With the economy as it is, the Army is known as a secure type of employment but we've had so many people coming up to us saying they are fed up with going into an office from nine to five every day. They want variety and the opportunity to serve overseas," he said.
Weapons and Army life jobs fair draw
A LIFE less ordinary is promised and that, it seems, is what young people want.
With mortar bombs and Scorpion tanks, a Mowag armoured vehicle and Steyr rifles on display, young men thronged the Defence Forces stand at the Opportunities 2003 exhibition in Dublin's RDS at the weekend.
Crowding around a table for a closer look at the standard assault rifle carried by all soldiers, and a collection of other weaponry, it was like Action Man Anonymous.
Careers in the Defence Forces are on offer - from cadetships for officer recruitment, apprenticeships in the Air Corps to general recruitment.
The maximum age requirement for the Army is 25 and for the Naval Service 27 and aspirants must be at least 5ft 4ins tall.
Commandant Robert Duggan, officer in charge of Defence Force competitions with 20 years experience, says a variety of factors are probably influencing the surge of interest - a third of it from young women.
"With the economy as it is, the Army is known as a secure type of employment but we've had so many people coming up to us saying they are fed up with going into an office from nine to five every day. They want variety and the opportunity to serve overseas," he said.
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