I think what sevenscars says it good advice. Essentially you should be aiming at technical skills as close to aircraft as you can and with opportunity to improve aptitude potential.

While that should be your aim it depends on two things, your aptitude for the role and more importantly the requirements of the Service.

Aircraft techie is something I thought about as I have a BTEC in engineering however I'm presuming that being trained as a techie not only takes a fair bit of time to be trained in but I'd also be expected to serve longer to payback that training cost. Hence I think it would be better to go for a simpler trade that in exactly a 1 year time from today I could redo my CBAT and it not be an issue I'd presume losing a gunner/driver/mover wouldn't be as much as an issue as it would be losing a techie. Thoughts ?

[QUOTE]technical skills as close to aircraft as you can/QUOTE]

Irrelevant. If you intend to go WSOp ASAP, extended trade training would add little at the Interview phase at OASC Board; moreover, getting out and doing an airman's job - including MT driver if that's what you want - (rather than getting too bogged down in Phase 2 trg) is more likely to enhance your chances in the OASC Exercise Phase.

[QUOTE]and with opportunity to improve aptitude potential./QUOTE

You either have aptitude or not. Mostly... it's the way you're wired. Very few make significant changes year on year.

RAF Taff. If you have any further selection related questions, lets get onto the OASC thread to save repetition and aid others with similar thoughts.

+1 for Bugs to forty's advice. When I went through OASC, they wanted to hear strong and confident answers about my life/career progress/history regardless of what it was, not specific words to tick boxes.

Have you visited a flying station and spoken to WSOps? (Can you still do that?) If you do, ask to speak to some of the junior WSOps on the squadron and ask them about their application process. Also try to speak to some of the SNCOs about what challenges they often see new joiners have. You can then start to see if and how experience as an airman might help you. After a few years of doing the actual job it's very easy to forget how you got there so try to speak to currently serving folks.

Good luck!

OP - Tell us whereabouts you are. You never know, a Siggie may even agree to meet to give you some top tips!

Wrexham, North Wales