Private Jean Sseninde is a driver with the Royal Logistic Corps in the British Army
Private Jean Sseninde of 27 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, doesn’t have an average career. A keen sportswoman, Jean trained with Uganda’s national football team before dreams of making a difference in the world compelled her to leave home at 20. Despite her relative youth, and bouts of homesickness, Jean has already achieved more than so many of her peers.
A British Army apprenticeship, much like the one Jean has undertaken is an opportunity for determined young people to stand on their own two feet. A current starting salary of £18,305, secure housing and a number of daily living expenses met by her employer have given Jean the headspace to follow her dreams.
Jean has already completed a level 2 award in football coaching and become fully licensed to drive many different types of vehicles in difficult terrains. And it’s this ‘supported independence’, unique to the British Army, that has helped Jean, now aged 23, to contemplate her future. Her skills and qualifications will not only help develop her career in the Army but they are all fully transferable to life outside the Army in the future. Some of the qualifications drivers are offered in the Royal Logistic Corps include: Foundation Modern Apprenticeship (FMA), NVQ Level 2 in IT and advanced driving licences.
“My family tell me I’m a better person for joining the Army. They say I’m more courteous and better prepared to endure hardship.” Most telling is her self-confidence. Jean lists “leadership, reliability, good communication skills, efficiency and problem solving” as some of the key skills she has acquired. One of the few UK organisations without a gender pay gap, the British Army supports Jean as she carves a niche in traditionally male-dominated industries.
