Army recruitment drive weeks before thousands are due to be laid off

The Army has launched a recruitment drive to help find 10,000 personnel just weeks before thousands are due to be laid off.

It is hoping to draw new staff with a television campaign as part of an overhaul of the recruitment process which will see positions advertised in job centres.

The move comes ahead of the single biggest round of armed forces job losses under the coalition which could see in the region of 5,300 redundancies on June 18.

It will be the third instalment of job cuts arising from the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and confined to the Army.

The first tranche in September 2011 saw 2,860 forces personnel across all three services made redundant, while the second, which again involved the Army, Navy and RAF - hit 3,760 last June.

Chief of the General Staff General Sir Peter Wall said the redundancies were essential to reduce the Army to 82,000, in accordance with Government plans.

The new "Step Up" recruitment drive is designed to help bring in privates and junior officers and is part of a wider campaign to recruit 10,000 new members of staff over the coming year.

It is understood the redundancies should apply to staff at more senior levels.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The Armed Forces is always recruiting to ensure we have enough quality junior ranks and young officers to promote up through the organisation in future.

"The Armed Forces Redundancy Programme has been designed to safeguard those skill sets needed in the future Armed Forces, while ensuring that rank structure remains."

Those behind the new campaign hope the publicity will "dispel the misconception that the Army is not hiring".

It will feature a series of television adverts showing the journey a soldier could take during a career with the Army.

It is to be supported by Jobcentre Plus recruitment clinics in nearly 400 locations across the UK.

Army jobs will be advertised in job centres and applicants will be able to apply online.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, the director of recruiting and training for the Army, said: "We are always looking for talented, young people to take up the challenge of a career in the Army.

"No matter what your skills or background, the Army has something to offer you and an Army job provides opportunities to learn much more beyond military skills.

"It will develop you and show you the strengths you didn't know you had."

:: New figures suggest nearly one in five people would consider joining the Army. Three quarters of those surveyed believe skills gained in the Army would prove useful to them in general life. The OnePoll survey of 2,000 adults was conducted last month.