Cadets from across the United Kingdom , including one from 2030 Squadron spent three days at Royal Air Force College Cranwell experiencing the life of an Engineer Officer.

The course which is arranged by Headquarters Air Cadet's in conjunction with the Cranwell Engineer Liaison Team (ELT) was attended by twelve cadets interested in becoming Engineer Officers' in the Royal Air Force from all around the UK, including cadets from Scotland and Northern Ireland. The aims of the course were to allow the cadets to see the life, the work and the training of engineer officers, going from Officer Aircrew Selection to Initial Officer Training to Training Consolidation flight and then to see what Junior Engineer Officers (jEngO) do every day on active squadrons.

On Tuesday, cadets arrived at RAF Cranwell and were taken to the Daedalus Officers Mess to be accommodated in single en-suite rooms and for dinner, which is served to the table. During the night there was a bonding exercise at the Cranwell Ultrabowl, with the group split down to bowl and get to know each other. Later on in the night cadets from the Aircrew experience course joined in with the bowling.

On Wednesday, following breakfast the cadets were taken to Training Consolidation Flight, which is where newly passed out officers go for foundation training in a live aircraft hangar. Cadets were shown around the hangar, including the Jaguar aircraft and had the opportunity to get an insight into how young officers are trained to be engineer officers. The cadets visited College Hall and were given a tour by a current Officer Cadet doing his Initial Officer Training. The tour included seeing a typical room that an Officer Cadet lives in during their training.

Following lunch the cadets headed to Adastral Hall, also known as the Officer Aircrew Selection Centre, where presentations were given about Engineer Officers, Initial Officer Training and the Selection process. Following the presentations the cadets changed into sports kit and completed the Royal Air Force fitness test, which included the Multi-Stage fitness test, Press-ups and situps.

On Thursday after packing up and having breakfast there was a visit to nearby RAF Waddington, home of ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance). Presentations were given about the role of Waddington, and the role of Junior Engineer Officers. Cadets also had tours around the Sentinel, Nimrod R1 and the E-3D Sentry aircraft by the jEngO, and the opportunity to ask any question that interested them.

The course was a great opportunity for cadets to see for themselves what Engineer Officers do, and what it takes to become an Officer. Sergeant Sam Hanna commented that " It is a great insight into the life and work of an engineer officer, it was well worth going on a work experience course if you are interested in a career in the RAF. "