Tag: Forces Employment Charity

Hiring a veteran is good for business!

New figures reveal 20% increase in the number of employers looking to hire veterans

New figures released by the Forces Employment Charity to coincide with Armed Forces Day (Saturday, 29 June) reveal that the number of employers actively looking to hire veterans has jumped by over 20% in the last five years, increasing from 2981 in 2018 to 3603 in 2023.[1]

The charity has also unveiled new research which shows that employers who have hired veterans report that they contributed significantly to the workforce.

Results show:

  • 1 in 4 (24%) employers praised veterans for bringing strong leadership skills to the workforce[2]
  • 1 in 5 (22%) employers say having a veteran in the organisation is great for building team spirit2
  • 1 in 5 (22%) employers praise veterans for bringing unique skills to the workforce2
  • 1 in 5 (20%) employers say hiring a veteran is good for business2

The Forces Employment Charity, which supports all members of the military community in achieving civilian employment success, has also seen a massive rise in the number of job roles it has secured for its clients. Last year, the charity secured 13,246 placements,[3] compared to 11,994 the previous year,[4] reflecting more than a 10% year-on-year increase.

Despite a significant increase in employers recognising the value of hiring veterans, less than half of UK employers (41%) say they know where and how to access talent from the military community.2 

Furthermore, only 1 in 3 (35%) veterans say they feel proud of the skills they acquired during their time in the military, and whilst around 15,000 men and women leave the Armed Forces every year,[5] less than 1 in 10 (8%) working-age veterans state that they know where to go for civilian employment support.[6]

The Forces Employment Charity exists to provide life-long, life-changing support, job opportunities, and training to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families, irrespective of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving. The charity also delivers Op NOVA on behalf of the NHS, supporting veterans in contact with the justice system.

Edinburgh-based Leanne Bonner, Ex-Forces Programme Manager at the Forces Employment Charity, says: “As someone who works with the military community on a daily basis, helping them to take their next step on the career ladder, I am delighted to see so many more employers actively looking to hire veterans.

“Anyone who has served has a wealth of skills to offer, such as resilience, accountability, leadership and team skills, and an ability to be trained. With the help of moments such as Armed Forces Day, I look forward to seeing more employers taking steps to recruit veterans into their teams.”

Danielle Sandy, Military Talent Acquisition at Barclays, sought the support of the Forces Employment Charity’s Military Women programme to help her secure her new role, which drives veteran recruitment.

She says: “My advisor was fantastic throughout my application process for the Barclays position. She helped me not only with my CV but also put me through a number of mock interviews, which set me up perfectly on the big day.

“She is extremely knowledgeable and always on hand to provide support – no matter what time of the day. I will be forever grateful for her assistance during a daunting experience. Going from a very comfortable position into a huge corporate brand during a pandemic was a risk and a challenge.

“Still, with her support, I could make a very smooth transition. She was engaged throughout the whole process, from the first viewing of the job advert and initial application to even following up with me in weeks one and three of my new role.

“The whole experience was superb, and she gave me the confidence to take the next big step in my career. Although I have offered Service Leavers and Veterans advice for years, I often found it difficult to apply that same advice to myself and lacked confidence!

“Thankfully, my advisor was able to offer me advice and build my confidence.”

Speaking about her role as Military Talent Acquisition at Barclays, she adds: “As a Royal Navy veteran, I know first-hand both the incredible skills that veterans can bring to the civilian workforce, but also the common challenges that can sometimes act as a barrier to accessing meaningful employment once you have finished your Forces career.

“I am so proud to work for an organisation that takes active steps to embrace military talent and nurture their skills and abilities.”

Shaun Harrison from Glasgow sought the support of the Forces Employment Charity, having served in the British Army. With the help of his dedicated Advisor, who provided job signposting, CV advice and helped with interview technique, Shaun secured a role as a Nursing Assistant with the NHS.

He comments: “With the help of my Advisor, I was able to secure employment without getting overly stressed. Knowing someone had my back whilst I was navigating this job minefield was good. It let me focus on other things in my life that I love.”

Staff from the Forces Employment Charity will attend a host of events all over the country in support of Armed Forces Day. They will be on hand to provide more information about how the charity can help members of the military community take their next step on the career ladder, whether that be helping with their CVs, searching for suitable jobs, or using interview techniques to help secure funding for training opportunities.

For more information, visit www.forcesemployment.org.uk

Charity asks the public to paint a poppy pebble to mark remembrance

The Forces Employment Charity is calling on the public to show their support for Remembrance Day this year, by taking part in its national poppy pebble painting initiative.

The Poppy Pebbles project is a simple but powerful initiative that encourages schools, veterans, and the public alike, to paint a poppy on a pebble and place it on a war memorial, or headstone of a veteran, as a way of commemorating Remembrance Day.

Anyone choosing to take part in the initiative is encouraged to carry out research into identifying and even visiting local war graves, via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, finding out information about the service person buried there.

Colin Back, National Manager of Project Nova at the Forces Employment Charity who devised the initiative says: “The Poppy Pebbles project has grown exponentially over the last few years.

“We originally started the project as a way of encouraging vulnerable veterans to take part in a mindful activity during lockdown. Since then, the initiative has really captured people’s imaginations.

“Poppy Pebble Painting is now being taken up all over the country by people from all walks of life – we even have a few famous faces getting involved. It is a wonderful way to commemorate Remembrance and we hope to see more people than ever signing up to take part in this free event.”

For more information, including a free Poppy Pebbles resource pack, visit:  www.forcesemployment.org.uk and search for Poppy Pebbles 2023.

To donate to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, visit: 

www.rbl.org.uk/poppyappeal and click on ‘Donate’.

Forces employment charity launches new initiative to celebrate Month of the Military Child

The Forces Employment Charity will be marking the Month of the Military Child this April, with a brand new set of resources to help young people of those who Serve and have Served with their next career step.

The charity, which was founded in 1885, originally helped veterans find civilian employment and has since expanded its services to offer support to Military families. This has recently extended to offering employment support to Young people from military families, both serving and veteran within the M3 area, owing to its unique EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families Programme.

The team working in the EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families come from military families themselves and therefore understand the importance of supporting young people who face an ever-changing situation, from frequent moves, education gaps and separation from parents’ and social networks.

Through extra support in education, training and expanding the pool of employment choices and a caseworker, the programmes supports young people to plan a clearer future.

The charity also works with many young people from across the UK through its long-standing programme, Future Horizons. This programme helps early Service Leavers with the next stage of their civilian career, which often includes younger veterans aged between 16-25.

Resources created for the Month of the Military Child will be specifically tailored to help those with little to no work experience of the civilian world, including a starter 101 series which will cover all the basics job seekers may need to get started, such as:

  • How to write a CV
  • How and where to look for jobs
  • How to write a cover letter
  • How to manage your first interview

The charity is also planning a social media takeover, which will include insights from people who grew up in Military families, speaking about their experiences, how they have shaped their careers, plus any advice they have to offer others from a similar background.

Joanne McLeod, EM3 Armed Forces and Families Programme Manager at Forces Employment Charity, says: “As a Military spouse, I understand the unique challenges that affect Forces families. From frequent house moves, to needing to fit in and make friends quickly, there can be a lot to manage.

“This can be particularly challenging for service children, who are moving schools, skipping parts of the curriculum and leaving behind their social networks. However, living in such unique circumstances also equips the Military community with an incredible skill set that can set them apart from other job seekers.”

Dame Joanna Lumley is supporting the initiative. Speaking about the impact being a Military child has had on her own career, she says: “Like many Military children, I went away to boarding school at a very young age.

“It meant I had to be able to find my feet pretty quickly and find ways to be able to relate to lots of different types of people. I never realised at the time how much those experiences would come to help me in my career!”

Joanne McLeod adds, “Our role at the Forces Employment Charity is to help people recognise those skills and find the best possible way to present themselves to employers, to maximise their chances of success.

“This is especially important for those just starting out, such as Military young people and/ or Early Service Leavers. I am delighted that we are able to offer a new and specialist set of resources to support this group in celebration of the Month of the Military Child.”

The Forces Employment Charity provides life-long, life-changing support, job opportunities, and training to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving. 

Its team of dedicated Advisors can help job seekers develop their employability to present candidates to employers in the best possible way. That can involve advice on what to apply for, how to find work and develop a good CV, interview skills, training, etc. 

For more information visit: www.forcesemployment.org.uk

Stars support Military charity this Remembrance

A host of stars and influencers, such as Sophie Ellis Bextor, Anneka Rice and Sammy Winward, are showing their support for Remembrance Day this year by backing a national poppy pebble painting initiative, led by the Forces Employment Charity.

The Poppy Pebbles project invites schools, veterans and the public alike, to paint a poppy on a pebble and place it on a war memorial, or headstone of a veteran, as a way of commemorating Remembrance Day.

Those taking part are encouraged to undertake research into identifying and visiting local war graves in their area via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, finding out information about the veteran who was buried there.

Colin Back, National Manager of Project Nova at the Forces Employment Charity who devised the initiative says: “The Poppy Pebbles project initially started life as a mindfulness activity during lockdown for some of our more vulnerable veteran clients, who we support into employment.

“However, we found that the idea really struck a chord with the public more generally and now sees people taking part all over the country, from all walks of life, as their way of commemorating Remembrance.

“We are delighted that this year the Poppy Pebbles project has also captured the imagination of some famous faces too, who are helping us encourage more people than ever to get involved.”

For more information, including a free Poppy Pebbles resource pack, please visit www.forcesemployment.org.uk/poppypebbles