Liverpool youngsters were among the first to be encouraged to have a career in the RAF, with information events held in the city this week.
The programme is hoping to change perceptions of the Royal Air Force and inform others about the range of careers that are available.
Squad Leader Phil Todd, 37, told JMU Journalism: “A lot of people think we’re like ‘Heat Man’, Sylvester Stallone or ‘The Dispensables’ and that bullets need to bounce off you. It’s not true.
“I’m just a normal human being, I’m not a pilot. We have 60 different careers in the air force. It’s about breaking down those misconceptions.”
The city council’s ‘Liverpool in Work’ employer engagement team held a series of information events offering information for the public on jobs for policemen and women, caterers and stewards in the RAF.
Mr Todd told JMU Journalism: “It is specifically aimed at the black ethnic minorities of Liverpool so we can run a pilot programme. We are going to try and give personal development training in interview skills and application writing for virtually every kind of job.”
A mock-up of a fighter jet cockpit came to town as part of the scheme, and the ‘Value In People’ initiative will be rolled out nationally to inform people who would not normally have an interest in the RAF about their career options.