The skills and abilities ex-forces personnel offer employers are formally recognised by the Officers’ Association (OA) through the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.
As a military charity, the OA exists to support officers and reservists in finding sustainable and fulfilling employment and provides advice and support to relieve hardship amongst those who have held a commission in the Armed Forces, their families and dependants.
Lee Holloway, Chief Executive Officer at the OA, said:
“Since 1920, the OA has worked with employers to help them recruit former officers and reservists. Although the way we work continues to evolve, our ethos of championing the abilities of officers to meet the needs of business has not. Signing the Armed Forces Covenant allows us to sit alongside employers as they recruit ex-forces talent and connect officer job seekers with job vacancies and career opportunities.”
Air Commodore David Tait, Head of Training, Education, Support, Recruiting and Resettlement (TESRR) at the MOD said:
“Service leavers and reservists bring a lot to organisations. They have the specialist technical and business skills as well as the soft skills organisations need: leadership, team working and a strong work ethic with an approach to problem-solving and strategy which is unparalleled. Our thanks to the OA for recognising and championing these skills to employers.”
As a military charity, the OA works alongside the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) as experts in mapping military skills to in-demand roles ensuring employers understand how best to recruit and retain former military talent within their business. Last year, the OA worked with 5,916 officers and their families to provide career advice, job opportunities, employment events and welfare support with 4,989 officer job seekers using our employment services. To ensure officers have access to the latest jobs online, the OA launched a new recruitment platform, providing access to job vacancies 24/7 no matter where job seekers are based and giving employers direct access to officer job seekers.
Laura Blair, Director of Employment at the OA, said:
“As a former Army Major, I know that transitioning from military to civilian employment can be daunting, as indeed can securing that second or third job move. The OA is here to support officers and reservist job seekers through-life and signing the Armed Forces Covenant demonstrates our on-going commitment to them.”
