TWO students from Heart of Worcestershire College have completed Phase 1 training with the Army Reserve.

Rhys Kesterton and Callum Blake, who completed a course in public services this year, spent their summer break completing two intensive military training courses with the Army Reserve.

The budding soldiers were inspired to join the Army Reserves by their tutor Mr. Shane Husband, an ex-regular soldier who is a Corporal with 37th Signal Regiment, based in Moons Moat, Redditch.

Students on the public services course visited 37th Signal Regiment on a Look at Life event last year and Callum and Rhys were both sold from the outset.

Callum, who is now taking up an engineering apprenticeship with an aerospace company said: "The training was tough but really enjoyable. I’m proud of what I have achieved and look forward to applying my new skills in my civilian career."

Rhys, who is beginning year two of his public services course at Heart of Worcestershire College this month said: "The Army Reserve works perfectly for me. I get paid to train in my spare time and gain valuable work experience and leadership training while I am studying."

37th Signal Regiment is an army reserve unit which specialises in information and communication systems. In recent years the regiment has deployed people in support of operations in the UK and overseas including the 2014 flood relief effort, the Olympic Games security effort, as well as deployments to Afghanistan and Cyprus.