When it came to choosing a career, Gareth Taylor knew that he wanted a job which made a difference – one which gave him the opportunity to impact people’s lives and be a ‘force for good.’ He found all this and more in the Royal Air Force – an organisation he joined at the age of 21.
Over 20 years on, he still gets the same sense of joy from the job that he got as a younger man. Today, Group Captain Taylor is Head of Recruitment for the organisation, which is over 100 years old, and he’s passionate about the opportunities available for people from all walks of life.
“The Royal Air Force doesn’t recruit vets and it doesn’t recruit undertakers, but every other profession we’re recruiting!
“Whether it’s engineers, fuel experts, doctors, nurses, chaplains, lawyers, firefighters, police – you name it, there’s something for you here,” he tells Pukaar.
“In theory, every Royal Air Force station has a micro town, and therefore we have the micro professions that are associated with that – we have individuals who are responsible for cooking and cleaning, fixing vehicles – so a wide range of roles and responsibilities available.”
Growing up in Nottingham, Group Captain Taylor was inspired by his hardworking parents. They were both respected teachers, and he saw the huge difference that they made to people within the community.
After going to university, he saw the Royal Air Force as an ideal opportunity – a place where he too could have an impact – not just at a local level, but at a national and international one. He describes his current role as challenging – but also incredibly rewarding.
“If you look at my current role; providing individuals with the opportunity for employment, to develop skills and to have a job for life, it’s really enriching and I think meets that desire I had when I elected to join the Royal Air Force, which is to have a broader impact in society,” he says.
The variety of roles he’s performed throughout his service is also something which he enjoys.
“The thing that’s really surprised me over my service career, is the variety of roles that I’ve been able to perform and the access and visibility. I’ll probably do 2-3 years in this role and then go somewhere else and do something slightly different, so the variety is constant and I am always being challenged,” he explains.
“Whilst the perception may be that I’ve only ever been in the Royal Air Force, in my 20 years of service, I think I’ve done something like 13 different jobs! So I have changed, I have been pushed and I have been tested.”
“Naturally as you progress within the organisation, the buck stops with you more and more, but I have fabulous people working for me in this current role and in all the roles I’ve had in fact. I can’t help but be inspired and want to push myself harder to meet their expectations of me. So in that sense it’s a challenge, but it’s one that I take on and absolutely thrive upon…”
Aside from being a proud, hardworking member of the RAF, Group Captain Taylor is also a humble husband and father-of- three, with a passion for basketball.
Asked to describe himself, he says: “I’m a father first, husband second, basketball coach third and then Royal Air Force Officer fourth. That’s the way that I kind of prioritise things and it’s probably an appropriate way of describing me as well.”
As for the qualities required to be in the RAF, he immediately sites ‘motivation’, as well as integrity, honesty and the ability to be part of a team. The final thing is excellence.
Individuals must identify with the prestigious RAF service – to respect it and want to do it proud, he says.
“You must want to be great, push yourself and give your best.
“My advice to anyone wanting to apply, is to look at the core values of the Royal Air Force, which are respect, integrity, service and excellence and to see how best
you can communicate that in any application you submit. We’re looking for people who mirror those values in their application and also the way they answer in interview.”
To apply or to find out more, visit: www.recruitment.raf.mod.uk or download our app.
