Back in the day, once you were accepted into the Army, you were consider to be QL1 qualified (Qualification Level 1). Upon completing your basic training, you would have been QL2 qualified (Basic is now called BMQ, or: Basic Military Qualification). From there, back in the day, you would have taken your trades training, or "QL3". This is your "trade" specific course, ie: Infantry, or Armour, or Medic, etc etc).
Today you must take your basic training, "BMQ", and now there is a month long course which has been added between your basic training, and your trades training, called SQ (or Soldier Qualification). Upon graduation of this course, you can take your trades training (refered to as QL3 in the old days), but now it is called DP1.
Thus it goes: BMQ -> SQ -> DP1
I just got off my Soldier Qualification course where we learned and fired: C9, Grenades (M67s, HCAC1s, Wessex, etc etc), 84MM Gustav, and C6.
We also learned;
-dismounted offensive ops (quick attacks),
-dismounted defensive ops (occupation, Stage 2-6 entrenchment, Constontinov and barb wire obstacle construction, tactical withdrawels, and all the "routine" that accompanies occupation such as track plans and the like)
-recce patrols
-emergency burials
-POW handling
-mine clearing and avoidance
-review of some BMQ subjects (ie: Pyro, "why things are seen <nite/day>)
However, future SQ courses will not be learning Grenades or Gustavs.
Hope this answers your questions.
I apoligize for interupting, but I‘ve looked around, and I haven‘t a clue what your "3‘s" are. Can someone explain it to me?
Originally I thought it was just another name for SQ, the training that occurs after basic. But then I‘ve heard others use it as something that occurs even after that. So I‘m particularily confused. Does it have anything to do with the commonly-mentioned "QL3" and "QL2", for which I can also find no info about?