Originally Posted by
langleybaston
... Barring miracles, every current WO has been an NCO. This was not always the case...
Some time ago the REME (the thinking man's Army) did experiment with Direct Entrant Artificers, where with appropriate academic qualifications and a crash course in square bashing, you could attend the Artificers course (nearly 2 years) and if you qualified, start your first real job as a Staff Sergeant (E6/7 Equivalent). Theoretically, after 4 years in role you could be selected for Warrant Officer Class 2. Not sure how many tried, but it was regarded as a dismal failure. Who knew that crashing around as a Staff Sergeant with only 2 years experience sat in a classroom behind you was not good grooming for being a Senior NCO? Oh that's right, everybody knew...