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We are pleased to announce the launch of our brand-new online community, MyForcesEmployment. This excellent resource provides a collaborative space for our clients to support each other, share their learnings, engage with one another, and access support above and beyond finding that next job. A one-stop shop, MyForcesEmployment allows us to serve our clients better, meeting them where they are.

Whether a Service leaver, veteran, reservist, or family member, MyForcesEmployment offers an extended arm of support for those seeking camaraderie, valuable information, and specific services tailored to their unique needs.

What do clients get access to?

MyForcesEmployment hosts chat groups, exclusive employment articles, extra resources and links out to a wide variety of charity partners.
Chat groups allow our clients to connect with like-minded individuals. Extending across all those we help, MyForcesEmployment provides an open space for all to communicate with their community, those like them, those with differing experiences, and those who have been where they have been.

As always, we strive to give honest, expert advice. Our community provides another avenue for us to support those transitioning and looking to upskill their civilian career. Clients can dive into thought-provoking articles, engaging discussions, and unique resources. With insights from our career consultants and advisors, we can share the wealth of knowledge and ensure no client misses out on our staff’s unique insights, continuing to empower clients throughout their working lives.

A brand-new mentoring hub

MyForcesEmployment also houses our new online mentoring hub. A dedicated platform created to empower our clients as they take the next step in their careers.

Mentoring is a valuable resource we have been pleased to offer to a select group of our clients over the last few years, with great success. Our new online hub allows us to expand this support across the charity, reaching all our clients and attracting more mentors from across a broad mix of sectors to offer their support to the military community.

Transitioning from military to civilian life presents unique challenges. Our mentors understand our clients’ Service careers and can assist in translating skills and experiences into marketable assets, ensuring their mentees thrive in the civilian workforce.

Mentoring is about more than finding the next role. By offering an online mentoring hub, we can provide our clients with a helping hand to build the self-assurance they need to excel. Mentors are vital in empowering our clients to reach their full potential.

Most importantly, mentoring is not just about giving back. Both our clients and mentors have routinely forged valuable connections and grown together.

Former mentor Katherine Jones, Social Value Advisor at Wates Residential, shares her experience with the Forces Employment Charity:

“The value of mentoring programmes is immeasurable and should be encouraged across all industries and sectors. Industry professionals must be able to impart their knowledge, opinions and expertise where possible to ensure that, as a community, we are all growing, sharing and learning. I take part in mentoring programmes to help develop others, explore routes and pathways, problem solve and act as a sounding, impartial and confidential board to an individual. I feel a great sense of pride being a mentor and strive to utilise the opportunity to learn from others and extend my own knowledge and understanding”.

Get involved

Join the conversation and discover a wealth of valuable resources at your fingertips. Register today.

Are you a professional individual with time to give back? We invite you to become a mentor.

We’re delighted to announce that we’re helping record-breaking numbers of veterans, Service leavers and reservists to find civilian career success.

Last year almost 22,000 clients received expert support and guidance from us, spanning services such as CV advice, networking opportunities, job-seeking support, guidance with applications and much more.

The support we offer can be life-changing. Christopher McFerran served for 12 years in the Royal Air Force and sought help from us when he feared his job was at risk.

He said: “I had started a new job just as the first Covid-19 lockdown came into force and, although I thought I had a good career ahead of me, it quickly became apparent that my company was planning on making big changes. I sought the help of the Forces Employment Charity, as the Employment Advisors I have been assigned to over the years have been fantastic. They have always provided great support and updated me with current and relevant vacancies in my field of expertise and within my geographic area. They have also been great at keeping in contact, even if it was just to see how I was getting on and if I needed any support. They are a fantastic team to have on your side! My new role has made me more relaxed, which my family have noticed – big time. I now have a great opportunity to progress.”

Christopher, like thousands of others, benefitted from our flagship Ex-Forces Employment Programme. It provides veterans with career advice and offers access to thousands of job opportunities from employers who value the skills and attributes that ex-Forces bring to the civilian workforce.

The programme is only made possible thanks to generous funding from partners, such as the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The charity has recently committed to further funding for the programme, which will ensure many more thousands of members of the RAF community, and beyond, will continue to receive the support they need.

Forces Employment Charity’s Chief Executive, Alistair Halliday, said: “The Ex-Forces Programme is one of our longest-standing initiatives, and it continues to go from strength to strength. We are there to ensure that all members of the Forces community are provided with the support they need to find career success in the civilian world – whatever stage of their career they may be at. We are immensely grateful to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund for their continued support, to enable us to continue our life-changing work for so many who have served in the Royal Air Force.”

Irene Greenwood, RAF Station and External Grants Manager, said: “Partnership working is an essential part of the Fund’s welfare support to the RAF Family, allowing us to get the expert help to the people who need it. The work that the Forces Employment Charity undertakes is crucial and we are thrilled to be able to contribute, helping to meet the changing needs of the entire RAF Family.”

This year, the Forces Employment Charity is marking Remembrance Day by inviting students to take part in our #PoppyPebbles23 project. 2023 marks the third year we’ve run this popular campaign, with previous participants including Garway Primary School in Herefordshire, singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor and blogger Sophie Bradbury-Cox.

The project encourages students to learn about the importance of Remembrance, why the occasion is honoured every year, learn about war memorials and identify what they can do in their local community to mark Remembrance Day.

The pack includes lesson ideas and discussion topics to inspire students to think about their local area and the people around them. Also included in the pack are poems, a list of recommended readings for students, worksheets and activity plans to do in class and at home.

The main activity in the pack is Paint a Poppy. Students are asked to create a design to be painted onto a pebble or use one of the designs included. Once designed the Poppy Pebbles can be painted and put on a war memorial in the local area or used in a class picture!

We want to see everyone’s Poppy Pebbles and there are multiple ways they can be shared with us:
• tweet using the hashtag #PoppyPebbles23
• email the photos to [email protected]

If you would like a copy of our pack, please fill out the form below:

The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 (AFPS 15) remedy (McCloud) is due to start being implemented from 1 October 2023.

David Roberts, Head of Pensions at the Forces Pension Society, provides some background on the remedy and the Society’s understanding of how it will be implemented…

When the new public service pension schemes were introduced in 2015 (for the Armed Forces this was the introduction of AFPS 15), transitional protection rules were put in place to ‘protect’ those who were within 10 years of their normal retirement age. For AFPS members this meant that Service Personnel who were born before 1 April 1967 were allowed to remain in their ‘legacy’ scheme (e.g. AFPS 75 or AFPS 05) whilst younger members were automatically transferred to AFPS 15. This was subsequently ruled to be age discriminatory and the Government is required to address the issue.

To remedy the situation, Armed Forces personnel who were in service both on or before 31 March 2012 and on or after 1 April 2015 with any break in service of less than 5 years will have the option to elect whether they wish to receive legacy scheme benefits (e.g. AFPS 75/05) or equivalent AFPS 15 benefits for the remedy period (1 April 2015 – 31 March 2022). On 1 April 2022 all serving personnel became members of AFPS15, and all legacy schemes closed on 31 March 2022.

Remediable Service Statements

Eligible members will all receive a Remediable Service Statement (RSS) from Veterans UK by 1 April 2025. Each RSS will be tailored to individual circumstances and will outline the value of the member’s legacy and AFPS 15 scheme benefits that were accrued during the remedy period. We understand that some cohorts such as pensioner members, imminent leavers (i.e. those retiring from the Armed Forces within 9 months from 1 October 2023) and representatives of members who have died, will be prioritised. This is because their pension is (or will be) in payment on/shortly after 1 October 2023.

After the first RSS is issued, eligible serving personnel will receive one RSS per year. Those who have left or will leave the Armed Forces with a deferred pension that is not yet in payment, may also request an annual RSS for free by contacting Veterans UK.

‘Immediate Choice’

Eligible members who have left/will leave the Armed Forces between 1 April 2015 and 1 October 2023 with a pension in payment (including Early Departure Payments (EDPs)), and eligible dependants with a pension in payment in cases where a member has died, are in the ‘Immediate Choice’ (IC) cohort.

Eligible members leaving the Armed Forces before 1 October 2023 will do so on their current pension terms. Once IC members receive their remedy choice, they will have 12 months to submit their election from the date of issue of their RSS. Once a member has made an election, their pension will be subject to retrospective adjustment if they have chosen to receive alternative benefits (i.e. they may have an underpayment or overpayment of benefits which will be paid or recovered).

‘Deferred Choice’

For those not in the Immediate Choice cohort, there is what is known as ‘Deferred Choice’. Personnel who are in-scope will ‘rollback’ to their relevant legacy scheme for the remedy period. They will then be able to choose between their relevant legacy scheme benefits and those that would have been offered by AFPS 15 for their service in the remedy period:

Members leaving the Armed Forces within 9 months of 1 October 2023 (known as ‘imminent leavers’) with entitlement to immediate benefits will be sent a RSS as soon as practicable after 1 September 2023. They will have 6 months to make their election. However, if they are unable to make an election prior to their final day in service, legacy benefits will be paid pending their election. If they subsequently elect to receive AFPS 15 benefits for the remedy period, they will be applied retrospectively and, where necessary, the pension/EDP will be subject to adjustment.
Eligible members who retire from the Armed Forces from 1 July 2024 with entitlement to immediate benefits will be provided with a RSS before they leave and will have 6 months to make their election.
Eligible members who have left/will leave the Armed Forces with deferred benefits (i.e. without entitlement to an immediate pension or EDP) will receive an initial RSS from Veterans UK by 1 April 2025. The initial RSS will not facilitate an election choice unless/until their deferred benefits are due to come into payment. Rather this RSS will simply compare the pension benefits for the remedy period for information purposes only. Thereafter, members with deferred benefits can request one RSS per year if they wish until such time as their pension benefits are payable, at which point they will be requested to make their election.

Default Position

For members who do not submit an election by the end of their specified ‘election period’, the ‘default’ position is that they will receive legacy scheme benefits based on that being the rollback position. In all cases, once an election is made or the election period ends, the choice/default position is irrevocable.

Armed Forces Pension Calculator

In advance of RSS’ being issued, the MoD revised online calculator is now available which allows serving personnel to run calculations to compare their legacy scheme benefits and AFPS 15 benefits for the remedy period.

If you are a member of the Forces Pension Society and have a pensions-related question, you can contact them via ‘Submit a Question’ in their members’ area.

If you are not a member but would like to know more about the Forces Pension Society, visit their website today.

Don’t forget to join us online during Pension Awareness Week to ask your questions and understand more about your military pension.

Rewarding veterans in business, fitness, sport, and the wider community

We are thrilled to share that the Forces Employment Charity is partnering with and sponsoring the Scottish Veterans Awards 2024.

The awards welcome Military Veterans in Scotland who make noteworthy contributions. They also celebrate Reservists surpassing expectations and companies that wholeheartedly support or hire from our community.

Claire Sally, Scotland Employment Consultant for the Ex-Forces Employment Programme, said: “Forces Employment Charity understands and appreciates the tenacity and resilience of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Ex-servicemen and women hold many attributes including their dedication, humility and strong work ethic which is noticed and valued amongst the civilian community. We are proud to support the Scottish Veterans Awards 2024, which celebrates the veterans and organisations who continue to show the value that the veteran community brings to society in Scotland.”

Individuals of any nationality can apply, provided they are based in Scotland.

If you believe that your business, an individual, or a client deserves recognition for their achievements, nominate them for the Scottish Veterans Awards!

Registrations for our Careers in Professional Services event are now open! Gain an insight into the ‘Big 4’ at this face-to-face event in London on Wednesday 27 September from 10 am until 6 pm.

The Careers in Professional Services event is for Service leavers, veterans, reservists and military family members. This event will help you to understand more about opportunities within Professional Services; particularly providing an insight into the ‘Big 4’.

Brought to you by the Forces Employment Charity and kindly hosted by PwC at their London HQ: 1 Embankment Place, London, WC2N 6RH from 10 am – 6 pm.

Register today to attend. Explore what roles may align to your transferable skill set.

Five reasons why you should attend Careers in Professional Services:

Explore the Big 4: Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC military programmes and pathways
Demystify the sector and discover the wide range of roles available. Hear directly from recruiters about how to tailor your CV for applications
Informative workshops where recruiters will share tips for your interview preparation
The opportunity to network with hiring managers, recruiters and military community representatives from these companies

Who can attend:

Service leavers
Veterans
Reservists
Military family members

What are Professional Services?

Professional Services provide support, advice, and guidance on business or technical topics. They generally perform services in a specialised area of expertise, such as financial strategy or process optimisation. Some of the main business areas for the Big 4 include:

Audit and Assurance
Tax and Legal
Digital and Cloud Consulting
Strategy Consulting
Risk Advisory
Financial Advisory
Internal Operations

Part of a themed series of careers events

Careers in Professional Services is part of a series of events with different themes focussed on giving unique insight, understanding and access to different sectors. All led by the Forces Employment Charity.

Complete our online form now to have a conversation with one of our Career Consultants in advance of this event.

Want to know more about us?

Transferrable skills

Anyone who has served in the Armed Forces is likely to possess a range of highly desirable skills, such as resilience, accountability and an ability to be trained, plus impeccable leadership qualities. These are all attributes which many employers are looking out for, yet new survey results from the Forces Employment Charity² show that, despite these exceptional skills, 2 out of 3 (62%) veterans sometimes underestimate the skills they developed during their time in the Military.

The survey also reveals that the biggest barrier veterans say they face when seeking civilian employment is “a lack of understanding amongst employers about how veterans’ skills from active duty translate into a business environment”.³ Over half (53%) of veterans also stated that they found transitioning into the civilian workforce harder than they had expected.

Support

When it came to the type of support veterans would most value when seeking employment, they said:

Guidance on how best to recognise the transferable skills they have (29%)
Interview skills and preparation (28%)
Improving their confidence around ‘what they can bring to the table’ (26%)

Alistair Halliday CEO Forces Employment Charity — *Alistair Halliday, CEO, Forces Employment Charity*

Alistair Halliday, CEO of the Forces Employment Charity says, “It is fantastic to see that so many more employers are starting to recognise the incredible value veterans bring, which is reflected in the figures showing an upturn in the number of employers actively turning to veterans to fill their vacancies. Having said that, we also know that despite the tremendous skills possessed by those who have served, our survey highlights that veterans are still likely to undervalue and undersell themselves. This shows that there is more work to be done to ensure that ex-Service people are getting the help they require, and that employers are getting everything they need to bring more of the Military community into their workforces.”

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 who are in contact with the justice system.

Armed Forces Day 2023 case study Matthew Emberton — *Matthew Emberton*

Matthew Emberton served for almost 23 years in the Army as an infantry communications specialist. He recently moved to South London to reconnect with family and ‘start again’ with a civilian career.

He says: “People in the military have a strong work ethic and, as a career soldier, I need the big challenges that employment brings that will push me, enabling me to function properly and at my best. When I contacted Forces Employment Charity, I was in a slump – I was fed up of being rejected and I was starting to lose focus. I was so used to getting rejections that I half expected a rejection each time I sent my CV off. Forces Employment Charity has helped me refocus – I was given help with my CV and partnered with a mentor, which boosted my confidence and reminded me that there are things that I can do. I was introduced to roles I’d never thought I’d be capable of. This made me realise there is a lot more help out there than I’d known, which gave me a new positive outlook.

“My Employment Advisor found me a great role that they encouraged me to go for and my mentor helped me prepare for the interview. Without either of them I am sure I wouldn’t have landed the role that has started my new career since leaving the British Army. Getting a new job and being offered the opportunity to start my new career has lifted my morale and given me a new sense of purpose. A lot of the stress and worry about paying monthly bills has now gone and I can start to plan my life again.”

Join us at an Armed Forces Day event

Forces Employment Charity will be in attendance at a number of Armed Forces Day events, taking place up and down the country on and around 24^th June, including the flagship event in Falmouth. For more information, visit www.forcesemployment.org.uk and search events.

Reference points:

97,872 job opportunities listed on veterans jobs board Rightjob in 2021, compared to 115,012 in 2022.
and 3. Survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the Forces Employment Charity. Sample consisted of 400 veterans in employment between 23rd-31st May 2023.

The Forces Employment Charity has received a generous grant of £30,000 from the Veterans’ Foundation. The funding will enable us to continue our hugely successful work to provide employment advice, guidance and mentoring to veterans in the west of Scotland through our Ex-Forces Employment Programme.

The Ex-Forces Programme provides regionally based, comprehensive career advice and job opportunities to all ex-military personnel, irrespective of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Commenting on the grant, Alistair Halliday, the Forces Employment Charity’s chief executive, said: “The Forces Employment Charity plays a huge role in improving the lives of both veterans and their families. Our dedicated advisors are on hand to ensure our clients have everything they need to maximise their employability, so they can find meaningful and sustainable jobs. Thanks to the generous support of the Veterans’ Foundation, we can help more veterans and their families now than ever before and will continue to do so in the future.”

Founder and CEO of the Veterans’ Foundation, David Shaw, added; “We are delighted to be able to award this grant to the Forces Employment Charity, enabling them to continue to help armed forces veterans and their families. The advice and guidance they provide makes a real difference to those ex-service personnel in the West of Scotland who need help moving into a new career.”

The Veterans’ Foundation will soon have given almost £17 million in grants to over 400 charitable organisations helping those in need in the armed forces community and this is in no small part thanks to the players of the Veterans’ Lottery. If you want to join this incredible success story and provide vital funding for projects supporting ex-service personnel in need while being in with a chance to win an amazing £50,000 every month, sign up today.

The ‘Positive Pathways to Higher Education for Forces Families’ programme at the University of Winchester is a two-year-long project under the EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families Programme.

The programme aims to shatter the myth when it comes to Higher Education for the military community. It will build the skills and confidence of ex-Forces, military families and reservists in exploring pathways into Further and Higher Education. Working in partnership with the Forces Employment Charity it will include targeted outreach activities and tailored transition support.

Drawing upon their expertise in delivering higher level skills, the University of Winchester will be working in conjunction with Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance and other Forces charities across the UK. Including colleges, military bases and resettlement services

The next stage of the initiative includes Forces Family Day at the University of Winchester on the 8^th July 2023 and a social media campaign.

To learn more about these activities, and how you can get involved click here.

Click here to register to attend the Forces Family Day on Saturday 8th July!

The University of Winchester is widely recognised for its commitment to being an Armed Forces-friendly employer and is a recipient of the Silver Award from the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.