Teenagers and twenty‑somethings across the North will get a paid, year‑long taste of service from March 2026 as the Ministry of Defence rolls out a new Armed Forces Foundation Scheme. The pilot opens with around 150 places across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF, with ministers saying they aim to scale beyond 1,000 if interest is strong.

Announced on 27 December, the scheme promises bespoke training and a genuine ‘gap year’ without a commitment beyond the course: basic training, leadership development and even time at sea, all designed to boost employability as much as it signposts a forces career. Recruitment is due to begin in early 2026 for under‑25s.

Defence Secretary John Healey called it “a new era for Defence” and said the offer should help “reconnect society with our forces”. The Ministry of Defence frames the move as part of a wider effort to open up opportunities outside London while refreshing the relationship between the public and those who serve.

The department hasn’t listed training locations yet, but the North has the infrastructure to host early cohorts. Catterick Garrison’s Infantry Training Centre and nearby RAF Leeming are long‑standing hubs for soldiering, signals and expeditionary units, while RAF Fylingdales anchors key operations on the North York Moors. That means many participants could learn close to home.

Ministers say the scheme fits the Strategic Defence Review 2025’s push for a whole‑of‑society role in defence-broadening participation, strengthening resilience and renewing the ‘contract’ with those who serve. It sits alongside plans to lift spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and invest in new capabilities, all with an explicit nod to regional growth.

For Northern industry, especially the aerospace cluster around BAE Systems in Lancashire, the timing matters. Typhoon assembly at Warton has seen a stop‑start year and strike action highlighted worries about retaining specialist skills. A pathway that builds logistics and engineering experience could help employers as well as the services.

Officials say they have learned from Australia’s long‑running ADF Gap Year. The Australian Army Research Centre records more than 2,100 recruits coming through its gap‑year track between 2014 and 2022, and the ADF’s own guidance sets out a 12‑month paid experience across Navy, Army and Air Force that feeds both military and civilian careers.

There are still gaps to fill: the MoD has yet to publish pay details, selection criteria beyond age, or how placements will be allocated across units. What’s clear is that it will start as a pilot with capacity increased if it works, offering a route into service without any obligation beyond the year.

For schools, colleges and families from Barrow to Barnsley, the calendar is key. Recruitment opens in early 2026, with the first cohort due to start in March 2026. The Northern Ledger will share application windows and local guidance as soon as the MoD confirms the timetable.