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As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and proud holders of a Silver Award in their Employer Recognition Scheme, we’re always eager to continue our dedicated support for ex-armed forces personnel who are retiring from service and making the move back to civilian life. Departure from the military can be daunting for many individuals at first, especially when they need to start considering the next steps for their career, but while it might feel challenging to look for a new role after concluding their service, a career in the Armed Forces actually equips these people with valuable transferable skills and experience that make them strongly suited to many technical and engineering roles.
So, to do our part in supporting our Armed Forces community, we decided to leverage our decades of recruitment experience throughout 2024 by actively engaging in multiple Career Transition Partnership events. These events served as excellent platforms for us to make a meaningful impact on veterans' lives, helping them navigate the complexities of transitioning into civilian careers with confidence and support.
Tailored support to get back into the world of work
Our goal in attending the Career Transition Partnership’s nationwide events was to provide tailored support to ex-armed forces personnel, helping to guide them back into employment and connecting them with key clients looking to benefit from their expansive skillsets. Our involvement has ranged from bespoke career and job searching advice, to practical support such as putting together a new CV or setting up a LinkedIn profile to find work.
For our colleagues who attended these events, it was an incredibly rewarding experience to help equip veterans with the necessary tools and resources to identify their transferable skills and pursue meaningful career opportunities in the civilian workforce.
“I had the privilege of representing NRL at the CTP events in Newbury and Bournemouth. Attending without knowing what to expect, I found it incredibly rewarding to interact with representatives from various industries, markets, and sectors. The most profound experience was sharing my industry knowledge and providing advice to those who serve our country and are looking at opportunities outside of the forces.”
- NRL Woking Recruitment Account Manager, Thunga Banda
Facilitating networking opportunities
Another central pillar to our approach was the emphasis on creating networking and opportunities for veterans. By connecting them with industry professionals and potential employers, our teams facilitated meaningful connections that not only expanded veterans' professional networks but also offered valuable insights and guidance as they navigated their job search.
“The CTP Events are a fantastic opportunity for armed forces veterans to help them navigate the next stage of their career. Being able to provide advice and technical expertise to those who have served our country makes our job very fulfilling.”
-NRL Heysham Senior Recruitment Consultant, Alex Boudin
Building a supportive community
Our attendance at the CTP’s Employment Fairs didn’t mark the end of our relationship with the candidates we met at each event. While our teams were delighted to chat with attendees on the day, we were also pleased to extend our support further and keep the conversation going, maintaining ongoing contact with those we met through the events and supporting them throughout the employment process – ensuring they received advice and support when needed to help them secure an exciting new career opportunity and transition into their new role.
Sustaining our commitment to our armed forces community
Our participation in the CTP’s events represents just one facet of our dedication to supporting service leavers. Our voluntary pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant is a commitment to supporting service leavers wherever we can, helping them to find a career trajectory that’s as rewarding as their time spent protecting the nation.
Some of our own colleagues have first-hand experience with the challenge these service leavers face – our Rail team’s Compliance Manager Pat McCarthy previously served, so his participation in September’s York Employment Fair was invaluable to many of the individuals we spoke with on the day. Pat was able to use his own experience and expertise to advise on some of the ways that we can assist with their job search.
We’d like to thank the Career Transition Partnership team for putting on an excellent set of events in 2024 and providing us with the opportunity to support the thousands of armed forces veterans who attended as they navigate the challenges of transitioning into civilian careers.
If you’re a service leaver, our team would love to support your job search and help you build a fulfilling and successful career beyond the military. Please feel free to connect with me, view our currently available jobs or get in touch with your nearest NRL branch.