Institute for Employment Research » IER News & blogs (tag [army])

IER study reveals challenges ethnic minority veterans experience when transitioning to civilian life

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT

A new study commissioned by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) provides insights into the experiences of UK Armed Forces veterans from ethnic minority backgrounds. Led by IER’s Gaby Atfield, the study uncovers significant disparities in employment, housing, and social integration, highlighting key areas where tailored support is needed.

New research by IER calls for more support for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers to improve their employment prospects after leaving the Armed Forces

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 18:18:00 GMT

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.

Military spouses/partners: identifying the barriers to employment and future support needed

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 11:02:00 GMT

The IER and QinetiQ, were commissioned by Army Families Federation to analyse the factors shaping the employment of military spouses/partners and to formulate recommendations for effective support services.

The report, launched by AFF at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London on Tuesday 19th June, with speakers including the Right Honourable Esther McVey, contains a series of key recommendations for supporting military spouses/partners into employment.

The research involved five separate phases of data collection, undertaken between October 2017 and April 2018. Data was collected from an online survey with almost 1500 spouses/partners from all three Services, 32 telephone interviews, an online survey with 38 employers and 14 stakeholder interviews.

Lyonette, C., Barnes, S-A, Kispeter, E., Fisher, N. and Newell, K. (2018) 'Military spousal/partner employment: Identifying the barriers and support required' - report to Army Families Federation.