£700,000 to improve training and employment prospects for Veterans and their families
In March this year, the Trust awarded grants totalling £700,000 to 11 projects under the Veterans’ Career Development Fund programme, which supports projects that enable Veterans and their families to enter stable, long-term employment, by delivering qualifications and training.
From bespoke training and career development; to employability pathways and career coaching – each project has taken a different approach. While some projects focus on general training and employability skills, others present an opportunity to retrain in a specific field such as HGV driver training or teaching. For some, the focus is on developing skills gained from military Service, while others offer tailored support in transitioning to civilian roles.
Help following specific career paths
Veterans into Logistics provide life-skills and training which leads into stable, long-term employment in the logistics sector. They offer funded HGV driver training which links to employment opportunities with a network of logistics partners including Asda and Muller. The Holistic HGV Pathway into Employment project is open to all Veterans in need; particularly Early Service Leavers and Veterans struggling through underutilisation or convictions.
Major John Harker MBE Retired, Veterans Into Logistics’ General Manager, told us: “Veterans into Logistics is honoured to have been awarded a grant under the Veterans’ Career Development Fund to provide twenty-two Veterans with funded HGV driver training, followed by securing them interviews into secure and well-paid jobs with our logistics partners.
“As Veterans ourselves, we understand the challenges some Veterans experience on return to civilian life – our lived experience coupled with ongoing dialogue with our Veteran learners, logistics partners and the wider Armed Forces community ensures we strive to provide optimum bespoke pastoral support to make each Veterans’ journey into their HGV driving career successful. This fund is a fantastic initiative that will transform the lives of vulnerable Veterans and their families.”
Bespoke training and development for female Veterans
Recruit for Spouses Academy C.I.C will empower and support female Veterans in their transition to civilian careers by providing a bespoke leadership career coaching programme, leveraging RFS Careers Academy’s extensive network across industries, whilst enabling them to attain a formal qualification. Heledd Kendrick, CEO/Founder at Recruit for Spouses told us: “As the World changes so rapidly then so do the needs of our Forces, we are seeing unprecedented demand for career coaching and the recent funding to support female Veterans who are also spouses will make a tremendous difference to support our serving Armed Forces and families.”
A focus on partners and families
Targeting spouses, partners and families of service leavers and Veterans, RBLI Lifeworks Families will offer support to identify potential future employment sectors, improve confidence and gain skills through mock interviews. They will also offer the opportunity to gain Continuous Professional Development qualifications. Julie Walker-Jopson, RBLI Assistant Director of Welfare, Employment and Impact said “We are proud to be part of Op Prosper which promises to do so much for Veterans and their families after their Service has come to an end. It’s especially exciting that the Veterans’ Career Development Fund recognises the potential of spouses and partners.
“We are very grateful to the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for enabling RBLI to support spouses and partners of Veterans in communities around the UK.
“This funding will create a new programme to help spouses and partners to identify career opportunities and to gain relevant training to help them achieve their goals.”
Re-entering the workforce
Hull FC Community Foundation’s Set of Six is a progressive employability pathway focused on empowering older Veterans (aged 50+) and their families, providing the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to re-enter the workforce. Developed in collaboration with Humber Learning Consortium, the project will offer accredited qualifications, bespoke life skill support, work placements and targeted one-to-one support.
James Price, Head of Foundation at Hull FC explains: “The Foundation has a long track record of delivering successful engagement programmes for the Armed Forces and Veteran community as well as delivering employability and skills provision for local residents. We very much look forward to bringing these two work areas together through ‘Set of Six’, empowering our beneficiaries with the practical skills and personal attributes to progress in work.”
Transferring skills from military service
In Scotland, BRAVEHOUND’s Veteran Dog Trainer Project will give Veterans opportunities to gain experience, confidence and accreditation by transferring the valuable skills gained during military Service into new dog trainer skills and a City and Guilds qualifications. This will lead to stable, long-term employment benefiting the economy, wider community as well as the Veterans themselves.
Founder and CEO at BRAVEHOUND, Fiona MacDonald, said: “At BRAVEHOUND we have got to know many Veterans who have been dog handlers and trainers during their time in military Service. They have huge experience, skills and a passion for working with dogs; however, often lack the formal qualifications and confidence to pursue a career in dog training as a civilian.
“Through this award from the OVA’s Veterans’ Career Development Fund we are able to support these Veterans and family members in sustainable employment whether employed or self-employed. The project is open to family members and while the aim is to support beneficiaries into meaningful and sustainable employment, we hope that we are able to bring this saying to life, ‘Find a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’.”
Find out more
The table below provides an overview of all funded projects from this round of the Veterans’ Career Development Fund. You can also access a full list of all awardees here.
