O18 cadets have opportunities, like ACPS, QAIC, promotion to CWO (if they haven’t already done so at 17), etc.
Staff have responsibilities.
I know what most 18 y/o’s (including me at that age) would go for (in theory; in reality I did actually become an ACF adult instructor at 18).
If anything like the Volunteer Agreement and the Car Insurance it’ll be under my service type thing.
A guide was published by the digital team in September > https://rafac.sharepoint.com/sites/DigitalHub/SitePages/Cadet-Agreements.aspx
But only if they have done their mandatories (DBS, BPSS etc) I’m struggling to get some of mine to do that!
Yes, they can see the Cadet Code of Conduct, but the Staff Cadet Service Agreement is not there. It may be that it only appears when they turn 18, but we had an Over 18 look and they didn’t have it there either.
I am doing a paper version and adding it the old fashioned way.
Agreed - also IACE.
In reality, if more cadets do leave or transition to staff, it improves the odds of an O18 getting on these courses as there is less competition.
Yes, it is a challenge, but they had to do those before to become a Staff Cadet so it is nothing new and they have virtually no mandatory training to do either, so they should be grateful!
Majority of mine want to go CFAV as soon as finished A-levels - they want to be treated as an adult.
One was even looking at transferring to SCC before coming back to us as a CFAV at 20.
Currrently two have made the jump & the two turning 17 later this year have asked me the question round the process to staff.
I think it’s down to Sqn culture.
I’m with @Chief_Tech on this one - my cadets of suitable age are all keen to jump ship and be treated as proper adults within cadets, as they already are external to cadets! One going for CI, another for adult NCO. Who would stay as a staff cadet, being treated like a child and having so socialise with 12 year olds at 18/19 when you don’t need to? Guess it’s different where I am to most, but that’s how it’s been…
I have the opposite at my unit, 98% want to continue to stay on as a staff cadet as they see it as less commitment with college and work loads increasing, more fun from an activities perspective.
Only a couple of individuals have opted for CFAV and it is 100% right for them.
I get that in the short term there’s no QAIC or JL, but there are still plenty of other courses and opportunities that must be more attractive to 18-year-olds than AVIP, not being allowed off sqn during probation, etc.
As a follow up I have two 16 year old SNCOs who are turning 17 in the next few weeks. Both have asked about becoming CFAVs when they turn 18
The thought process is that it will make things easier when they go to Uni.
For balance I do have a 19 year old SNcO who doesn’t want to go CfAv but he’s not particularly intelligent & doesn’t drive. 
Savage 
So unintelligent he couldn’t still be an asset?
I believe that what will happen is that it will guillotine in a couple of years of no over 18 cadets.
Until then I can see that a stigma will creep in that if you don’t go CFAV when you turn 18 (or end of a levels) the. You’re not particularly great (like a 19 non-NCO cadet)
I think it’ll go the other way. Exceptional cadets will stay on to be CWOs, LL cdts, QAIs, JLs, and to complete ACPS, etc. The rest will drop out and become CIs.
That’s kind of a return to how things were in the ‘90s. The exceptional cadets became CWOs, stayed as cadets until aged 22, then commissioned as plt offs: others left at 18 or 20 and became CIs.
I’m not seeing any interest in either route from the 17 year olds on my Squadron. That said they are mostly not NCOs and were late joiners post Covid.
I’m trying to get some feedback as to why but I suspect with exams coming up quite soon now they don’t feel it is worth it.
agreed. I recall this from my time as a Cadet.
While we had two exceptional FS and later CWOs (one of whom has enjoyed a stint as a Wg Cdt and been a Station Commander in the RAF) the other in their same school year was Sgt and later CI - he saw the writing on the wall, and there wasn’t room for all three of them, being a Sgt also highlights his progression versus theirs and so at 20 ducked out of uniform, while the other two continued until 22.
in short
those who could - went all the way.
those who didn’t want to - side stepped into a CI role
