Staying connected

If you have enjoyed your time in the Armed Forces (most of it, that is – not the hours on stag or getting ready for an inspection) you might want to remain a part of them when you leave. This does not have to mean boozy evenings at the Legion Club or Remembrance Day march pasts – although it can if that is what you want to do. Rather, it suggests a wide range of possibilities for future involvement with the RN, Army, RAF, Reserve Forces or the retired Services community.

Some people have the option to sign on again – and around 1,000 Service leavers do just that every year. They look around and decide that their best option is to continue in the Services, albeit that some may want to change their specialisation. Some re-enlist before they actually leave, while others may wait months or even years before making the decision. But all of them have made the positive decision that, whatever the gripes and moans of Service life, it is preferable to any alternative. Re-enlistment is not a sign of failure in the civilian world; everyone is different and some people find fulfilment in uniform just as there are others who do not wish to serve the community.

Ex-Service people are also generally very welcome in the Reserve Forces. Many will have some form of reserve duty liability anyway, and some have found themselves on operational tours recently. They bring professional attitudes, recent skills and experience, formal qualifications and current standards. In return they must learn that volunteers may have other priorities in life, different needs to consider and cannot usually devote the same amount of effort to military matters as their full-time colleagues. Nevertheless, the part played by reservists in today’s fragmented and complex operations is widely recognised. And, you never know, the opportunity to earn some money may be very welcome in your future.

In addition, the Reserve Forces represent an enormous networking possibility. Their members are people who have been living and working in their region for years. They know people, organisations, cities and counties. They probably value the military culture, because they are part of it to some extent, and so will have an immediate understanding of what a Service leaver has to offer. No one should join the reserves just to find a job, but it is a fact of life that networking is an integral part of the civilian job market; most people will offer an opportunity to someone they value and understand, rather than face the expense and risk of the advertised job market.

There are also jobs that have a great deal in common with Service life. Working as a civil servant in national or local government involves serving the community and, although the pay may not be that good, pensions and job security are still better than most other civilians can expect. Parallels between the Armed Forces and the uniformed services (police, fire and ambulance) are so obvious that they need no further explanation, while the Prison Service is already a popular destination for Service leavers.

Other direct cross-overs from Service to civilian life include security in all its guises, physical training, driving, engineering of many different specialisations, cooking and aviation. Less obviously, perhaps, but still valid, is the transfer of Service skills and experience into such fields as ICT, facilities management, logistics and distribution, hospitality and charities. These are all areas in which you are highly likely to find someone from a Forces’ background as a colleague or even sitting on the interview panel.

There may be some of you who believe you made a terrible mistake in joining up at all and could not wait to leave. But, however deep the sigh of relief you breathe as you leave your unit for the last time, be aware that you may well feel differently in a few years’ time. Many National Servicemen who were very reluctant conscripts now fondly remember their time in uniform, valuing the lessons it taught them and the experiences it brought.

While it is not compulsory to attend every reunion, it can do no harm to keep in touch with something that was a part of your life for a few years at least. Sometimes the thing we discard turns out to be more valuable than we thought, and the ex-Service network is quite a powerful one, which can even help the person who wants to do something radically different to their Armed Forces role.

For March, we look at two of these cross-over sectors – sport and fitness, and telecommunications – in detail. Both are big employers of Service leavers, as is computing as a full career (rather than as an experienced user, which is required just about everywhere nowadays). Less obvious areas of employment like diving also offer rewarding careers, usually after a period of training and qualification. Transport and driving qualifications have clear value for an industry that has immediate relevance to Service transport specialists, while professional administration also offers many career possibilities. For the budding entrepreneur, we also examine the franchise industry. You can access any of our articles concentrating on a specific career sector at www.questonline.co.uk. You have many options open to you. It is in your interests to consider them all.