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Officer Career Development

Professional career development is a planned process that aims to maximise effectiveness by rewarding, managing and improving innate potential. Career development describes the complementary relationship between career structure, the management of careers and education and training. The OCD Team work as part of MS(C) to refine and improve the overall framework as well as communicating the changes to the wider Army.

OCDH

Due to the size of the Officer Career Development Handbook (OCDH) this document has been split into sections for ease of reference.

Back to OCD

Education and Training

Information About Courses Available To Brigadiers And Colonels 

Higher Command and Staff Course HCSC

No2 Board selects 11 officers to attend HCSC in Jun for the course to Jan - Apr the following year.  For attendance eligibility see Career Policy in the MS(A) Aide Memoire.

Royal College of Defence Studies RCDS

No2 Board selects 10 officers to attend RCDS and overseas RCDS in Jun for the course to run Jan - Dec the following year. For eligibility for attendance see Career Policy in the MS(A) Aide Memoire.

Senior Officers Briefing Course

AG has stated that all Officers on promotion to Brigadier and Colonel or last attended the course over 3 years previously are to attend the Senior Officers Briefing Course at Warminster. This course runs twice per year in July and December. If you have compelling reasons for non-attendance you should write to COS AG through DI TRG(A)-RO2 Coord, Lt Col (Retd) Trevor Ongley Tel: Mil 94344 5775 Civil 01980 615775 for a decision. Any Administrative queries should be made to SOTD DSM Mil: 94381 2330 Civil: 01985 222330

Brigade Commanders Course

The Brigade Commanders Course is held December each year at LWC Warminster. There are 8 vacancies available on each course.

Only those Officers selected for the following appointments are eligible to attend:

Commanders 1 Mech Bde, 4 Armd Bde, 7 Armd Bde, 12 Mech Bde, 16 Air Assault Bde, 19 Mech Bde, 20 Armd Bde, 39 Inf Bde, 52 Inf Bde,101 Log Bde, 102 Log Bde, 104 Log Sp Bde, 8 Force Engr Bde, 11 Sig Bde.
CRAs 1 (UK) Armd Div, 3 (UK) Div.
DComd JHC.
HQ ARRC - Ch Tgt & Info Ops, Ch Engr, Ch CIS/Comd 1 Sig Bde.
DSF.
CJFO.
COS HQNI/Comd Force Tps.

Coutts Personnel Development Courses

As part of mid-career counselling, officers may wish to attend a Personal Development Training Course run by Right Coutts. It is stressed that this is not resettlement training but an opportunity for career analysis and career development training. For more information see D/MCM/306 (DMS Sp) dated 14 Nov 06. 

Ashridge Management Courses

There are opportunities for Brigadiers and Colonels to attend the training courses at Ashridge, an internationally renowned management college. Although originally devised around Civil Service competencies, recent experience has shown real benefit and relevance to Army officers. The Army might expect to secure one or two places on each course.

Details on the course, including dates and how to apply can be found on the Defence Intranet

Defence Strategic Leadership Programme

All newly promoted One Star officers are now required to attend the Defence Strategic Leadership Programme at the Defence Leadership Centre, Shrivenham in accordance with DCI Army 84/04 dated 20 Aug 2004. Those promoted into Type A Commands (less NI) are required to do so by the end of their first year in their 2nd tour. If you have compelling reasons for non-attendance, exemptions should be sought through DI Trg(A).

Back to OCD

Information About Courses Available To Lieutenant Colonels And Below

The Review of Officer Career Courses (ROCC) was a landmark review that through a comprehensive training needs analysis has effected a major overhaul of officer career courses that will affect the whole of the Army.

OCD Planners

Courses

  • Stage 1 - JOTAC (Available on Land Warfare Centre Intranet)
  • Stage 2 - ICSC(L) Overview and Training Objectives
  • Stage 2 - Employment Training
  • Stage 2/3- Attendance at Overseas Staff Colleges (Available on Defence Intanet)
  • Stage 3 - Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) (Available on Defence Intranet)

Accreditation

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Career Structures

Professionally Qualified Officers (PQO)

LE Officer Career Development

The details of the alignment of Late Entry Officers onto the OCD Generic programme is shown below:

Latest Updates

For those aged based terms of service (ATOS) officers that will be affected directly by the transition (YOB 1971 - 1977) and MCM Desk Officers, the following guides may be used to clarify the options that are available.