Project Management

Name: Anthony Cecil

Rank on Exit: SSgt

Years of Service: 22 Years

Qualifications Gained: PRINCE2 Project Management

SSgt Anthony Cecil served in the Royal Signals for 22 years, specialising as an Installation Technician and leaving in 2010. Now working as a project manager for Almac, he says that the training or experience he gained during his Service career that he now finds useful in civilian life includes ‘the ability to manage and resolve problems. This is a skill that has been very beneficial for my new career in project management. Also the leadership and communication skills developed over 22 years in the Army have enabled me to successfully transition from a military career to civilian life with great success.’

During his Service career he also gained the following civilian qualifications: PRINCE2 Project Management; MSP Programme Management; Graduateship in Leadership and Management from City & Guilds; BTEC in wireless LAN design; and an IOSH Health and Safety Certificate.

He says that his CTW was ‘extremely useful. I attended this at the start of my resettlement window and it focused my mind on the next two years and how I should prepare for life after the Army. It is sometimes difficult to believe that your military career is drawing to an end, but this workshop put things into perspective and helped me to develop a plan to cope with the change I was about to go through.’

He found his first (and current) civilian job on leaving the Forces by ‘searching the websites of major companies in Northern Ireland. I discovered that Almac, a large pharmaceutical company, was advertising for project managers. I completed the online application form – they were looking for people with management and project delivery backgrounds, and although Almac is a pharmaceutical company, the position was in its technology division, working on the technical systems that are used to support global clinical trials. Though I am still in this job, I have already been promoted within the company to a more senior project manager position. This is an excellent achievement considering I have only been with the company 14 months, and I believe it is down to my military background, which gives me many advantages over my civilian colleagues when dealing with problems and managing customer expectations.

‘I work on IVRS interactive systems that are used for clinical trials to record patient data and control medication assignments to ensure that the patients always receive the correct dosage. My role is to manage the system from design, through the study life cycle to completion, and involves working with both the client, to establish the specific requirements of the study, and the internal team of programmers that develop the IVRS for the trial. I like the fact that every day is different, with unique problems to resolve, and the fact that I work in an industry that is developing medication to help improve the quality of life of sick people at a global level. I have no dislikes but the job is stressful, with tight deadlines that are dictated by huge investment costs from the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Though I enjoy this responsibility, it isn’t the sort of environment that would appeal to everyone.

‘The stressful environment with demanding timelines on deliverables is very similar to my job in the Royal Signals when I was responsible for delivering CIS to operational troops. Also the ability to communicate at all levels and lead a team apply equally in both my military career and my new civilian one.’

Published September 2011

Name: Paul Hussey

Rank on Exit: WO2

Years of Service: - Years

Qualifications Gained: MoD Ship Safety Management

WO2 Paul Hussey, 41, currently specialising as an Engineer with the Royal Navy, has, so far during his Service career, gained qualifications in MoD Ship Safety Management and Maritime Maintenance Principles, as well as a Nuclear Submarine Platform Design Authority course. On top of these, the list of civilian qualifications he has obtained to date is impressive: BEng (Hons), BTEC level 5 in Professional Management, NVQ level 4 in Management, GCGI in Human Resources, Engineering Management and Leadership & Management, 17th Edn Wiring Regulations, HND in Electronic/Electrical Engineering, PRINCE2, and Managing Successful Programmes (MSP).

‘I am currently working in a project management area,’ he says, ‘and I quickly became aware of the need for recognised qualifications, not only to enhance my current position but also for future use when I leave the Forces. My ELC have already contributed to the awards of PRINCE2 and MSP (I did my courses at the Bristol Management Centre) and, although I have been working in PM for 18 months with no formal qualifications, the PRINCE2 award not only enhances my current position but also opens future avenues ready for civilian life.

‘The PRINCE2 course I took was extremely intense: requiring at least 20 hours of pre-course study, followed by two weeks of classroom work. The course predominantly covers the formal approach to PM, and includes in its elements starting up, initiating, directing and closing a project. I didn’t realise how much knowledge could be gained in a short space of time. The course gave me a broad understanding of the field, and now I really feel I have a much better understanding of the world in which I am employed.

‘Project management is a huge area, with many job opportunities available, and this course has helped put my feet on the first rung of the ladder. My advice to others’, he concludes, ‘is to maximise the funds that are available and make sure the course will be relevant to your future job requirements. It is important that it enhances your CV and doesn’t just add another course to it.’

Published April 2011

Name: Kevin Campbell

Rank on Exit: WO1 (RSM)

Years of Service: 22 Years

Qualifications Gained: project/task management, organisational skills

WO1 (RSM) Kevin Campbell, 43, left the Forces in August 2008 having completed his full 22-year colour service in the Royal Army Medical Corps, specialising as a Combat Medical Technician. His time in uniform equipped him, he says, with ‘general/people-management skills, an aptitude for project/task management, organisational skills, communication skills (written and verbal), presentation skills, time management, and a capacity for flexible/adaptable working’. While serving, he also obtained Membership of the Chartered Management Institute and a NEBS Supervisory Management Certificate.

His CTW, he says ‘was a good opportunity to meet and talk to others about to leave the Forces, which assisted me in focusing on the transition required from leaving the military and embarking on a civilian career/life’. In his resettlement phase he added to the above qualifications at the Aldershot RTC, where he gained a CIPD Certificate in Personnel Practice (CIPP) and NEBOSH qualification. ‘Both courses,’ he says, ‘offered an excellent introduction to the civilian workplace. The CIPP has been extremely useful – fully preparing me for my first civilian job interview, as well as in my current role, where I have used this knowledge and experience to chair a number of recruitment campaigns.’

Following ‘a very successful probationary period, I was recommended and successful in applying for my current position of Senior Programme Manager (Health Research) at Southampton University (National Institute for Health Research Evaluation Trials and Studies Co-ordinating Centre – Service Delivery and Organisation Programme).’ In this role, he continues, ‘I am responsible for a team of staff that manages and oversees the processes involved in the commissioning of Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) Programme research projects. The job includes line management, and strategic planning and organising of SDO Programme commissioning activities.’

Although he dislikes the 45-minute commute to work, he enjoys the ‘variety of workload, interesting and satisfying subject matter, and fast-paced working environment, where every day provides a new challenge. Even though my salary is slightly lower now, when you take into account the fact that I am working fewer days, have more time off, and the ability to plan holidays when I want them (as well as receiving an Army pension), it means I am financially better off, and with an improved work/life balance.’

Published April 2011

Name: Charles Dobson

Rank on Exit: Major

Years of Service: 18 Years

Qualifications Gained: Prince2 Practitioner (Project Management)

With over 18 years in the Forces behind him, Major Charles Dobson left the Army in 2006, having served in locations including the Falklands, Bosnia, Iraq, the USA and Afghanistan. He was ‘pensionable, and the infantry offered a voluntary redundancy package’.

He found his CTW ‘Extremely useful. It made me realise how much I had to achieve before I left in terms of preparation. It gave me a good benchmark; I had not really even thought about it, so it was a great shot over the bows.’

Now working as a proposal manager for ATCO Structures in Alberta, Canada, he finds of particular use ‘my staff, planning and briefing skills. A well-disciplined approach, strong work ethic, integrity and reliability are also highly useful skills that are well regarded by future employers. Man management and leadership skills are also important, and are well honed during a Forces career.’ Such qualities are complemented by his qualifications, which include Prince2 Practitioner (Project Management) and an Initial Management Diploma, taken with Bristol Management Centre.

Having married a Canadian, Charles decided to move there on retirement from the Forces, and started to develop a network there. His first job was with ATCO Structures as a project coordinator. ‘I was promoted after three months to project manager. My Prince2 Practitioner qualification assisted enormously, along with my Forces planning and project management background.’

A year ago, he became a proposal manager and is ‘responsible, among other things, for the proposal process by which competitive tenders are managed from receipt to compliant submittal, using all departments within the company to gain the necessary technical, safety, quality and pricing information.

‘I like managing across all departments; I get to see all aspects of the business. But it is a high-pressure job that involves meeting tight deadlines. As in my last two staff jobs, there is a need for a highly organised and disciplined approach to planning and distributing work packages around the company, to reduce inefficiencies and avoid duplication of effort.

‘The quality of my family life has improved dramatically, and I feel that there are more opportunities available to me (I am not as constrained by age-based promotion as I was in the Forces), but my employment is not as secure.’ His advice: ‘Vet the size and stability of any company you interview with; the way a firm behaves in a recession is a true test of its character and corporate culture.’

Published October 09

Name: Robert Holmes

Rank on Exit: Lance Corporal

Years of Service: 8 Years

Qualifications Gained: Building Services Engineering and NVQ level 2 Sport and Recreation

In September 2007, after eight years in uniform, Lance Corporal Robert Holmes left the Royal Engineers having specialised as an Electrical and Mechanical Draughtsman. Having served in Iraq, his decision to leave the Forces came from his desire ‘to break from the rigid structure and institutionalisation, and truly experience life’.

When asked what training or experience gained during his Service career is useful in civilian life, he responds, ‘The key aspect is discipline – to ensure that everything I do is above the required standard. My qualifications will certainly be beneficial as my career path develops.’ These qualifications, gained during his time in the Service, include a Diploma in Building Services Engineering and NVQ level 2 Sport and Recreation. He attended a Career Transition Workshop and took the following ‘well run and useful’ resettlement training courses, both at the Bristol Management Centre: level 7 Award in Executive Management Studies and Success in Financial Management.

Now living in New Zealand and working for Crown Forklift Sales, he found this job through networking in that country, having started out with ‘various casual employments during travel to Australia’, all of which ‘came about through networking and responses to advertising’. His current employment involves: ‘business development within my territory; meeting required weekly quotas and key performance indicator sales targets; stock taking; ensuring delivery of products; presentations and demonstrations to clients; administrative tasks following sales; relationship management with key accounts; and management of relationships within the company’. He ‘values the autonomy within the role (as long as your targets are met, you are left alone)’, but ‘dislikes the restricted progression’.

He says that his current role is ‘well within my capability. I am, however, free to choose different roles. In my former career I was regularly challenged in a managerial role and was heading for Clerk of Works within the Armed Forces.’ In terms of salary, he says that he now earns less than before, ‘though this is primarily due to limited options caused by the recession. However, although my salary has a low base, it is supplemented by commissions from sales.’

Published October 09

Project Management - Case Studies