TiR announced London's plans to introduce paid military training for young people

The United Kingdom plans to launch a paid military training program for school graduates in the format of a voluntary training year aimed at strengthening recruitment into the Armed Forces and increasing society's readiness to external threats, The I Paper reported on December 26.

"This program is gap year (academic year. It will give young people in the UK a taste of the incredible skills and training offered in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. This is part of our determination to reconnect society with our forces and advance the whole society's approach to protecting our country," British Defense Secretary John Healey said in a statement.

According to the published data, the program will open for enrollment in March 2026 and will be available to people under the age of 25. Initially, about 150 people are planned to participate, with the prospect of increasing the number of participants to more than 1,000 per year, while there are no obligations for further service.

The program involves basic military training followed by specialization and acquisition of skills applicable outside the army. The authorities expect that the initiative will increase the interest of Generation Z in the service and become part of a new approach to ensuring the country's defense amid rising geopolitical tensions.

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Earlier, on November 30, it was reported that Finland had launched large-scale military exercises with the United Kingdom, Northern Axe 25, near the borders of the Russian Federation in the city of Kuhmo. The publication noted that the purpose of the exercises is to prepare troops for defensive, decelerating, offensive and night battles in difficult northern conditions.

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