Our military special is here to help war heroes rejoin the civilian workforce
Experts' advice to help you or your loved one readjust to life outside the Armed Forces
LEAVING a life in uniform to rejoin the civilian workforce is a real challenge.
Two-thirds of small-business owners think ex-servicemen and women can bring valuable skills and knowledge to their firms — yet 17,000 wounded or sick veterans are thought to be looking for work.
The Government launched See Potential this year, to help disadvantaged groups back to work, including former Forces members.
Employers are urged to use a free online toolkit that includes advice on recruitment and a directory of bodies that can help make the workplace more inclusive.
On Tuesday, 100 top companies including FDM Group and Deloitte, met for a workshop at London law firm Eversheds Sutherland.
Work and Pensions Minister Caroline Dinenage said: “There are one million military veterans of working age in the UK.
“While most make the transition into civilian employment, a significant minority do not.”
LCpl Cowan Botha, 31, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, served in the Royal Dragoon Guards.
A hip injury sustained in 2012 eventually ended his military career in 2015 but he now works full-time as a project management consultant.
He reckons that “the ‘just get things done’ attitude sets ex-Forces apart from the rest”.
Cowan picked up a silver medal from Prince Harry for rowing in the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014.
He said: “Competing brings you back to yourself again.”
Now make it happen
FORCES Recruitment Services helps veterans find work after military life. Here is some of its official advice.
1) Seriously consider what you want to do next so you can apply and focus your efforts in the right direction.
Consider your skills, what you enjoy doing and what genuinely interests you.
2) Be realistic about your situation and what you want. Some careers require skills that take years to develop.
You may need to start at the bottom and work up.
3) Are you a specialist in a certain field? Skills and capabilities can be transferred to new roles but you need to demonstrate these in interviews, your CV, cover letters and application forms.
4) Have you leveraged your network? People around us often know us better than we know ourselves.
Tap into that network to secure opportunities and get advice.
They may see skills you never realised you had or offer other powerful insights.
5) Make an action plan, then make it happen. Over-think it and you may miss out on opportunities.
Once you have some good ideas, plan how you are going to make them happen . . . then do it.
So much to offer as staff
MINISTER for Family Support Caroline Dinenage knows veterans have a valuable role to play in the workforce.
She says: “Some employers overlook veterans from our Armed Forces because they may not have specific industry experience.
"This ignores everything else they have to offer. Veterans are highly trained, motivated and experienced in a range of technical roles.
“These include engineering, project management, HR, policing, transport, logistics, IT and communications. They are good at training to very exacting standards, meaning they are extremely capable of adapting to new roles.
“Many businesses are put off by a lack of knowledge about the military or misconceptions based on inaccurate stereotypes.
"A total of 16,000 men and women leave the Armed Forces every year looking for a job.
"Sadly, they are twice as likely to remain unemployed as civilians.
“There are currently more than 700,000 job vacancies across Britain and if you give veterans a chance, they won’t let you down.”
After leaving the Army, I wanted a long-term career
AIMA OWEN credits her five years of military experience for her flourishing career.
After joining Openreach as an advanced apprentice in September 2015, the 32-year-old is now a communications and engagement manager.
Aima, from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, said: “I was recruited in 2009 as part of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Reme) Core as a Vehicle Mechanic Engineer and developed skills, such as teamwork, leadership and organisational skills.
“After leaving the Army I wanted a long-term career.
"Openreach gives me the chance to hone and learn new leadership skills, and build my confidence to take up new challenges in future.”
The Army had been my life - I had no idea what to do after leaving
AFTER 23 years’ service, the Army was all Tony Silvey knew.
He left school at 16 to join the Royal Hussars and served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
He worked his way up to Staff Sergeant before retiring from the Army in 2013.
Tony, 44, from Salisbury, Wilts, said: “I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted to do when I left. The Army had been my whole life.”
Tony joined the South Central Ambulance Service in April 2015 as an Emergency Care Assistant.
He said: “My only previous medical experience was wound care and the basic first aid I had learnt in the Army. But that didn’t stop me.
“My medical skills have been supplemented with training and I learn new things every day.
“There is a clear path and the support available to me to progress through the ranks again.”
