Your first 16 weeks of training will be spent on an All Arms Recruit Course (AARC), commonly known as Recruit Training. It’ll give you the basic skills you’ll need to become a successful soldier, covering everything from the fundamentals of weapons training to first aid, navigation and lessons on military law. It’s also where you’ll first be introduced to your chosen trade.

Your training will be based at our Waiouru Army Camp, though you’ll also do some exercises further afield. This will be an intense period of training, demanding a lot of you physically – but the great thing is you’ll be getting paid to keep fit, including playing social sports with your mates.
 

Downtime

Even though this time will be fairly intense, you will still get some downtime – including most Sundays, which will be kept free to give you some personal time and the ability to attend church if desired. You can also spend your free time at any of our recreational facilities, including the gym, swimming pool, or library. There are even shops where you can get basic everyday items, so you’ll have access to everything you need.
 

Visitors’ days and mid-course break

There will also be a break halfway through the course to give you some time to go home and rest before beginning the remainder of your training. There are also two visitors’ days where you can invite your friends and family to visit the base.
 

Afterwards

Once you’ve graduated from Basic Training you’ll have some access to the internet to contact family and friends back home – you can also expect to have more free time when not on exercise or after-hours duty, including having most weekends free to go home if desired.