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Using Veteran Talent: Why it Makes Business Sense

Veteran Employment
Alistair Halliday 2

Alistair Halliday

Chief Executive, Forces Employment Charity

Around 15,000 men and women leave the British Armed Forces every year, taking with them an impressive array of skills and attributes that make them incredibly valuable to the civilian workforce as veterans.

Skills to Last a Lifetime

Anyone who has served in the Armed Forces, even at the most basic level, is likely to possess an ability to thrive under pressure, deliver against tight deadlines and cope with change.

Furthermore, a career in the military promotes flexibility, loyalty, self-discipline, reliability, a strong sense of duty and commitment, and the ability to use your initiative.

Core competencies include

  • Communication skills, practised with internal and external stakeholders
  • Organisational skills
  • Leadership and management skills
  • A high degree of professionalism
  • Problem-solving
  • Self-motivation
  • Health and safety, security awareness, and best practice
  • Team working

Training at the Highest Level

All ex-Forces personnel are trained and skilled to the highest levels. Expertise ranges from senior executive leadership to operational management to technical and supervisory skills.

The Armed Forces also train and develop specialist skills, including business services, information technology, transport and logistics, engineering, security, and physical training.

Veterans Underestimate Their Skills

We know that many employers are already actively looking for these attributes. Furthermore, recent research by the Forces Employment Charity shows that 83 per cent of employers would consider hiring a veteran.

Last year, the Forces Employment Charity hosted 186 employer-specific events around the UK, gained 3,603 new employer contacts and created 97,715 job vacancies for service leavers and veterans.

Despite these clear signals from employers regarding the value of veteran talent, survey results from the Forces Employment Charity also show that 58 per cent of veterans sometimes underestimate the skills they developed in the military.

Tackling Underemployment

Through our work, we see that many veterans and those who have served can either struggle to find employment or find themselves underemployed, i.e. working in roles that are below their qualifications/ability level.

We are here to change that – the Forces Employment Charity provides life-long, life-changing support, jobs, and training opportunities to service leavers, veterans, reservists, and their spouses, partners, and children, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Last year, through our 10+ unique programmes that help all members of the military community, we supported 23,000 veterans and their families with their employability.

Time for a Change – Seru’s Story

Army veteran Seru Nainoca served in the Royal Logistic Corps for eight years. After being signposted to the Forces Employment Charity by the Royal British Legion, Seru was introduced to a dedicated careers advisor who provided advice on how to improve her CV, followed by a one-day CV writing workshop. Seru’s advisor also helped her to successfully apply for funding that enabled her to pursue a diploma in legal practice.

Seru remained in touch with the charity and sought further support when she decided to change her career and move into the tech sector. She was partnered with a dedicated mentor who helped her find employment in technology, and she has recently taken on an exciting new role.

She says, “Being able to secure this employment has really helped me to know that there is actually hope. The Forces Employment Charity’s unwavering support has boosted my confidence level. I’m able to have a positive outlook about my future. That has also helped me as a person in terms of being resilient and perseverant. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to secure this role, and for that, I am grateful for their help.”

More to be Done

Whilst veteran employment in the UK is currently at an all-time high, at 89 per cent,[3] there is more that can be done, and we are incredibly excited to be part of that work.

New Initiatives to Help Ex-military Find Meaningful Jobs

The Forces Employment Charity is involved in Op PROSPER. Op PROSPER is a programme awarded to Forces Employment Charity through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, which will empower veterans and their families the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, enabling them to thrive in society by ensuring equal access to employment opportunities and supporting them into sustainable, valuable careers.

The programme will mobilise the business community to drive practical, cultural, and behavioural change within sectors, ensuring they become more ‘veteran friendly’ while also creating tailored pathways for veterans into positions of employment.

Sectors include

  • Data and digital
  • Defence and security
  • Construction
  • Energy and renewables
  • Finance and professional services
  • Health and social care
  • Logistics
  • Manufacturing

Specialist Services to Bridge the Gap Between Military Life and Civilian Employment

We are excited that Op PROSPER supports us in developing and extending our specialist knowledge and understanding to bridge the gap between military life and civilian employment, and our work in partnership with hundreds of employers who, like us, respect and value the unique qualities and abilities of all those who have served and their families.

Veterans and their families will be able to come to the Forces Employment Charity and receive free one-to-one support from our specialist career advisors to explore new job opportunities. This will enhance success and prosperity for themselves and their families, regardless of their background or where they are based in the UK.

For more information about the Forces Employment Charity, visit: www.forcesemployment.org.uk

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