The UK’s Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison MP, has at the CTP Employer Forum, called on British employers to opt for ex-service personnel to help tackle the growing skills crisis. Ex-service personnel bring a diverse range of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills to the workplace, he says.

 

His call to action comes as the latest Census data has confirmed for the first time, that almost one in 25 of the total population aged 16 and over (3.8%) living in England and Wales has previously served in the armed forces (Scotland will publish its data in 2023). The CTP conference takes place each year as part of an agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management to help the thousands of people who leave the military each year transition to civilian life in a way which benefits the UK economy.

Their program has a high success rate - over 96% of the UK Service leavers transitioning via the CTP and seeking employment are settled into a new civilian job role within six months of leaving the services. To date, approximately 240,000+ ex service personnel have been supported by the programme in just over 20 years.

Adrian Peters, Operations Director, CTP, said: “Service leavers are an indispensable part of the UK’s civilian workforce, offering extensive transferable skills for a broad range of sectors, including engineering, renewables, logistics, finance, and construction.  At a time when businesses are struggling to plug skills gaps, Service leavers can, and should be part of the solution.”   

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison MP said: “We know that more than 14,000 people leave the UK’s armed forces every year, many of whom are ‘work-ready’ and highly motivated individuals with exceptional skills in areas such as leadership, communication, and teamwork.

He added: “No matter what size of business you operate or the sector; if you haven’t already considered Service leavers as a recruitment option before, we urge you to come forward and find out more.” CTP’s annual Employer Forum included several presentations from recent Service leavers who have, with support from the partnership, successfully moved from the military into the civilian workforce.

Ex-Service personnel speaking at the event included Georgie Myers, who after serving for five years as an officer in the Royal Air Force, secured a full-time role at J. P. Morgan via the J. P.  Morgan Military Transition Programme. Based in London, Georgie joined the team in February 2021 as a Request for Proposal Writer Associate for Multi Asset Solutions.  

Michelle Osborne, Head of Military Veterans Affairs EMEA, J.P. Morgan, said: “As a firm we are committed to providing meaningful opportunities for Service leavers. We understand the true value veterans bring to our business and how their different experiences enhance the diversity of our teams.

“We have been running dedicated careers and skills programmes since 2011 and we see demand for veteran talent increase each year. This is because veterans are their own best advocates, their core values and standards align with our business principles and they add value from day one”

Through initiatives such as the Career Transition Partnership, the Ministry of Defence is continuing to invest in services and support to bring employers and veterans together for each other’s benefit. Recent developments include the introduction of a national insurance holiday for those employing veterans within their first 12 months of leaving service, as well as offering a Veterans’ Railcard to support the cost of commuting, and increasing the opportunities to join the Civil Service through a Veterans Interview Scheme.