Let's salute talent and loyalty of our veterans by helping them find work

Businesses which regularly recruit veterans tell me that they benefit from people who turn up on time, are dependable, can be trusted to finish a job, work well under pressure and often do so, usually with a good sense of humour. Who wouldn't want that for their own business?

***FREE USE IMAGE*** Keith Brown MSP launches a toolkit to help firms embrace the skills of veterans and support former military personnel into second careers. PicturedL-R: Laura Mazzara (a veteran who now works for Standard Life), Keith Brown MSP, Mark Bevan (BITC Scotland, Operations Director) Image by: Malcolm McCurrach Tue, 21, March, 2017 | © Malcolm McCurrach 2017 | New Wave Images UK | All rights Reserved. [email protected] | www.nwimages.co.uk | 07743 719366 | Press Photographer | Corporate Photographer | Event Photographer | PR Photographer

Our military veterans represent a sector of society who are highly trained individuals with a range of transferable skills, including leadership, teamwork and communication, with the potential to be extremely committed and capable employees. Yet, for a sizable minority of the thousands of skilled individuals who leave the Armed Forces every year, the transition to civilian employment will not be simple. In some cases this can be made more difficult by employers not fully recognising the skills veterans have to offer.

Veterans still face several barriers that hold them back from fulfilling their potential, with many struggling to translate their skill set in a manner that resonates with employers. In addition, many employers simply don’t know enough about military hierarchies and culture to interpret military CVs and job applications, resulting in them missing out on the skills veterans have to offer. Often the good intention is there but a lack of knowledge can be a barrier to success.

At Business in the Community (BITC) Scotland we are committed to working with our members to create a fairer society and a more sustainable future, driving forward the responsible business agenda. We want our members to provide a quality experience of work, adopt new approaches to recruitment and break down barriers to entering work for veterans and other disadvantaged groups. In turn, they will benefit from solutions to skills shortages, creation of new talent pipelines, boosts to retention rates and higher productivity.

BITC Scotland have worked with our members and partners to help businesses embrace the skills of veterans and support ex-military personnel into second careers. By drawing on best practice approaches and expert advice, we have developed an employment framework to help businesses understand what practical steps they can take to successfully recruit and retain veterans and reservists in the civilian workplace.

We are delighted to have the support of the Scottish Government and Veterans Minister, Keith Brown MSP, who launched our veterans toolkit in Scotland last month. “Capitalising on military talent: How to develop an Armed Forces friendly recruitment practice”, written in partnership with SaluteMyJob, describes our employment framework and offers a range of practical suggestions to help employers attract ex-military talent.

With a range of skills in short supply across Scotland, veterans represent a unique and high-performing source of talent that can help to fill the skills gap.

However, many employers are missing out on this talent due to a lack of knowledge about the military or uninformed negative preconceptions.

BITC Scotland is calling for the business community to join significant employers in Scotland including Virgin Money, Standard Life and Barclays and reap the rewards from recruiting hard working, good-humoured, highly skilled problem solvers who are used to performing well under difficult circumstances. With 3,500 veterans returning to Scotland they represent a significant boost to our labour market. Our aim is to promote approaches to recruitment and progression which support returning servicemen and women into long-term civilian careers.

The toolkit will equip employers with the expertise to set up effective military employment programmes which will in turn reward them with loyal, skilled and committed employees.

We know that employers who make the extra effort to support veterans into meaningful second careers will be rewarded with loyal, skilled and committed employees.

Scotland’s responsible business movement is growing in size and ambition and by supporting this engagement and investing in social change, business both large and small can tap into a wealth of resources that will help to create both a vibrant economy and vibrant communities where people can flourish.

More information on ex-military employment programmes can be found on our website by visiting www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/military-recruitment.

Mark Bevan is Director of Business in the Community Scotland