Employment in MoD agencies and organisations

Feedback to Quest suggests that many Service leavers gain employment in MoD agencies and organisations. We have therefore published this brief description and website details for the ones that offer the most employment opportunities. Specialists who wish to get in touch with areas of the MoD that might offer appropriate jobs for people with their background should visit www.mod.uk for a more complete list.

Many of these agencies and organisations recruit locally as well as nationally, and in some cases the websites featured invite electronic applications. All of them require administrative and logistic support so there are jobs available in these areas in all MoD establishments. Because they are all independent, there is no one central point of contact for employment except the new website at www.jobs.mod.uk. This provides a list of jobs and is gradually building its capacity to include all MoD vacancies.

Army Base Repair Organisation
Engineering service, repair and re-manufacturing organisation offering a worldwide capability to defence, emergency service and other governmental and non-governmental organisations. It has a 2,500 strong workforce at nine UK locations that work on equipment from tanks to motor cycles and from binoculars to thermal imaging equipment. Website: www.abro.mod.uk

Defence Aviation Repair Agency
Responsible for a range of services across all aspects of military aviation, providing a 'one-stop shop' for maintenance repair and overhaul. It has five operations units (dealing with engines, components, rotary-wing, fixed-wing and electronics) at seven UK locations. DARA has recently won awards for modernising its general and personnel management. Website: www.dara.mod.uk

Defence Logistics Organisation
Provides joint logistic support to the Armed Forces at nearly 90 UK sites and facilities in Germany, Gibraltar and the USA holding £22 billion worth of assets. It has a workforce of 43,000 (75 per cent civilian) and an annual spend of over £4.6 billion. Much of its work is conducted through its 68 Integrated Project Teams, with other people in units and agencies delivering support including storage, transport, fuel, munitions and food. HQ is at Andover. Website: www.mod.uk/dlo

Defence Procurement Agency
Responsible for the procurement of equipment for the Armed Forces. It has an annual budget of £6 billion with 4,300 staff managing over 13,000 contracts. In 2000/01 it delivered £3.5 billion worth of equipment to the Armed Forces. Like the DLO it operates through Integrated Project Teams. HQ is at Abbey Wood, Bristol. Website: www.mod.uk/dpa

Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Provides the Armed Forces with storage and distribution services. It holds a tri-Service inventory of over 2 million items, worth £7.5 million, from bolts and screws to tanks and aircraft wings, in 23 sites in the UK and seven in Germany. Website: www.dasa.org.uk

Defence Vetting Agency
Responsible for carrying out, and maintaining, national security checks on military and civilian staff employed by the MOD, private sector personnel employed on defence related work, and staff in a number of other government departments. It carries out 140,000 checks and clearances each year, including Counter-Terrorist Checks, Security Checks, Developed Vetting, and Basic Checks. Website: www.mod.uk/dva

Ministry of Defence Police
Responsible for providing effective policing of the Defence Estate. Like other forces, its purpose is to uphold the law, prevent crime, pursue and bring offenders to justice, and protect the community. It must be seen to act with integrity, common-sense, and sound judgement, using only that force necessary to carry out its duties, and respect the public's priorities. Website: www.mod.uk/mdp

Warship Support Agency
Provides logistic support to the Fleet and to other in-service maritime elements of the Armed Forces, including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and naval bases. It employs 12,500 people (including 9,000 civilians) at nine UK locations and three in North America. Website: www.mod.uk/wsa

Veterans Agency
Formerly the War Pensions Agency. Responsible for veterans' affairs, including war and service pensions, service records, military graves, medals and welfare issues. It provides a one-stop telephone service for war pensioners, their widows and dependants. Included here as a source of advice and help after leaving the Services. Website: www.veteransagency.mod.uk

All of these agencies, and a host of small ones, are major employers of Service leavers. Jobs may be direct employment as a civil servant, as a contractor with the organisation or as an employee with some form of public/private partnership. All agencies are currently involved in a process of change, resulting from the Strategic Defence Review and a host of new circumstances and initiatives.

Like other employment areas, agencies have core business that they will generally retain under their direct control and support functions that they will tend to outsource to a contractor. As the process of change continues, with the lessening of direct government control reduced so that organisations are encouraged to operate in more commercial ways, it is likely that employment patterns will come more closely to resemble civilian practice.