Brockenhurst College Launches Combined Cadet Force

Uniformed Protective Services students at Brockenhurst College will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience of a wider range of armed forces thanks to the College’s Army Cadet Force becoming a Combined Cadet Force (CCF).

The move, which became effective on September 1 2021, will mean that students with ambitions to launch careers with the British Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force will benefit from bespoke learning opportunities.

College sources said the change signals the start of a five-year aspiration to expand the provision to include a Naval Section in 2023 followed by an Air Force Section.

There is also expected to be a shift to opening up the detachment to the wider college community and even affiliated schools’ detachments, which would broaden the intake and boost the College’s already solid public services credentials.

The CCF will be commanded by Brockenhurst College Principal, Polly Perkins CBE, who is a former RAF Air Commodore with deployments to Afghanistan and Kosovo behind her.

Polly said: “We are pleased to be expanding the range of armed forces training options at the College in order to give students an even wider choice of career-specific learning opportunities.”

Experience gained through Cadet Force involvement provides important evidence of practical experience for students’ CVs and applications.