A new report, Longer-term Employment Outcomes of Ex-Service Personnel, looks beyond the first two years of resettlement.

This research has found that UK veterans face challenges finding longer-term civilian careers that enable them to reach their full potential. The Longer-term Employment Outcomes of Ex-Service Personnel report from QinetiQ, in partnership with Warwick Institute for Employment Research and RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity, and commissioned by Forces in Mind Trust (FIMT), is one of the first UK studies to explore the longer-term employment outcomes for veterans, beyond the first two years of resettlement.

A new report, published by Forces in Mind Trust on September 23rd 2020, finds that the experience and skillset of Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) are often misunderstood and under-valued in the civilian labour market.

The report states that SNCOs’ unique skills, combined with their length of time in service, may put them at a disadvantage when they leave the Armed Forces and have to compete with civilians for jobs. The research, undertaken by a team at IER and QinetiQ, found that SNCOs often join the military at a very young age and can struggle to find employment when they leave service. The majority of SNCO veterans who took part in the research said they found it overwhelming to have to deal with the practicalities of civilian life at the same time as trying to find employment, and 23% found their lack of interview experience to be very challenging. Negative attitudes from potential employers were also found to be a barrier.

The report outlines recommendations for SNCOs to support their own transition as well as calling for more support from Government, business, and Armed Forces charities to ensure SNCOs’ skills are better understood and utilised by civilian employers.

Read more in the press release here.

Dr Deirdre Hughes has been invited to co-deliver a webinar with Yolande Burgess, Strategic Director, London Councils to the US National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD-Youth). This Network coordinates the State Leaders Career Development Network and includes leaders from 20 states who meet monthly to discuss their career development implementation efforts, especially as they apply to the use of individual learning plans. The webinar will focus on sharing good practice in the design, implementation, and evaluation of career development.

The Secretary of State has announced six new Opportunity Areas in England, where they will focus the Department for Education’s energy, ideas and resources on providing children and young people with the chances and choices to fulfil their potential. The Opportunity Areas that were announced were West Somerset, Blackpool, Derby, Oldham, Scarborough and Norwich.

Warwick IER hopes to engage in further dialogue and practice developments given its track record in labour market intelligence and information, careers policy, research and practice.

New report for the Public Policy Institute for Wales identifies ways of harnessing employment opportunities in growth sectors in order to encourage the creation of sustainable employment opportunities which offer prospects for career progression.

Williams E. and Green A. (2016) New Directions in Employment Policy. Cardiff: PPIW.