Telecommunications

Name: Chris Vant

Rank on Exit: Lance Corporal

Years of Service: 6 years

Qualifications Gained: Communications Distribution Designer

After six years in the Royal Signals, Lance Corporal Chris Vant ‘needed a change, more career opportunities and a better quality of life’. The 27-year-old class 1 installation technician had served in Cyprus, Iraq, the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland, and believes that: ‘The trade training and the on-the-job experience I gained while in the Army have largely set me up for my civilian career.’

With an array of telecoms qualifications from his Service, he found that a Career Transition Workshop ‘helped create my CV as I had no idea prior to attending the course.’ He also took a BICSI Registered Communications Distribution Designer course with CNet Training, which he found ‘well run and useful. After prolonged cold calling of telecoms companies in my region I finally got an interview and was offered a position as a data cabling installer working on military bases around the UK.’

Vant is now a data centre service engineer with Splice Group UK in Yorkshire. ‘My role involves the surveying, installation and maintenance of optical fibre cabling networks and related equipment within two data centres, and involves being on call for one week a month. I like using more commercial, off-the-shelf equipment, and I’ve got a company vehicle with all fuel paid. I also like the fact that when on-call I get paid extra for it.

‘Basically I am doing the same job except without all the Army stuff that goes with being a soldier. My life now is of a higher quality as I am not away all the time; at the end of the working day I can go home and not think about work. The monetary benefits of my civilian job outweigh those of being in the military.’

Published... September 2011

Name: Simon Short

Rank on Exit: Sergeant

Years of Service: 22

Qualifications Gained: Eng Tech EL (Ex TG3)

In April 2009, after 22 years’ Service, Sgt Simon Short left the RAF, having specialised as an Eng Tech EL (Ex TG3), as he ‘wanted to explore other avenues – at 42, I felt I had another career ahead of me’. Asked whether he finds the training and experience gained during his Service career useful in civilian life, he replies, ‘Much of the generic training and experience can be transferred – as long as you know how to market it.’

His CTW ‘nicely laid the foundations on how the job market operates, and gave an idea of what to expect when leaving the Services’. However, he found it ‘targeted towards Service leavers who want to become an employee rather than self-employed.’ He adds, though, ‘I understand that there are additional CTW-type courses that are geared towards running your own business.

‘My plan was enter into IT consulting as an independent – and that means setting up your own limited company and finding your own contracts.’ His first (and current) job – as a self-employed business intelligence consultant, with his own company, Templr Ltd – was instead found through ‘networking, hard work and self-belief’.

‘It took me three months, nine interviews, four false starts (and promised funds) and lots of lessons learned before everything came together and I landed my first contract. When I did, it was fantastic! Receiving the official paperwork back from Companies House with my name as the director of my own company was the icing on the cake – it made all the hard work worth while.’

Running your own business means ‘you need to keep one eye on the detail, while the other scans the horizon for potential opportunities and risks. You need to be on top of your game, able to deliver results and demonstrate value to the client at all times. With no job security, no boss and no support structure, you need to remain focused on your long-term goals.’

There are differences in salary, too: ‘As a one-man band you are in sole control of the overall health of company finances. With no holiday pay, no sick pay and no pension contributions, you need to plan for the worst and make sure all bases are covered. You need to keep a close eye on the bottom line.’

Despite this, he is keen to highlight the positives: ‘Working for yourself is fantastic. It allows you to be in total control of your future direction; and having that level of autonomy inspires you to look ahead and plan for the future.’

Published... March 2011

Name: James Craig

Rank on Exit: Staff Sergeant

Years of Service: 22

Qualifications Gained: PRINCE 2 (project management)

Last December after a little over 22 years in uniform, Staff Sergeant James Craig left the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The 40-year-old vehicle artificer had served in Northern Ireland, Germany, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Canada; earning an automotive engineering HND, City & Guilds graduateship awards in engineering and leadership and management, and a European Computer Driving Licence.

He lists: ‘Trade skills, communication, presentation, leadership, management, fitness, hygiene, teamwork, responsibility, organisational skills, coaching, small accounts, project management, event management, personal discipline, interpersonal skills, conflict management, risk analysis and risk management’ as among the skills he learnt and developed in the Army. A Career Transition Workshop was ‘very useful to compare notes and liaise with other Service leavers’, and he also attended ‘all the available workshops.’ This was followed by PRINCE 2 (project management) training and a civilian work attachment.

Craig found the RFEA ‘useful’ but found his job through personal research using the internet, and he now works for the New Zealand Defence Force as an engineering manager. The job involves: ‘The coordination and control of all aspects of the repair, maintenance, modification and spare parts requisitioning for the organisation’s fleet of medium and heavy lift capacity equipments; training and personnel development of the team tradesmen and apprentices, and career guidance to 25 or more people.

‘I like the flexibility of my employment, the availability of facilities and the contractual benefits.’ He also enjoys ‘knowing you can say no and be gone after a short contractual commitment. Working here has resulted in a substantial pay decrease, but the benefits of being in one of the most beautiful countries in the world more than cover it.’

Published February 2009

Telecommunications - Case Studies