Driving forward veteran recruitment!

NEWS

The inaugural Mission Motorsport National Transition Event held earlier this month offered the chance for veterans to engage with Forces-friendly employers – top brands from across the UK, who all recognise the valuable skills veterans bring to their workforce …

Fast cars and the iconic Silverstone ‘Wing’ formed the backdrop to a day of networking and career guidance for the UK’s Armed Forces community. The event provided a platform for 70 like-minded organisations to come together and deliver hands-on transition support to a willing audience of more than 400 Service leavers and veterans, with support from charity ambassadors including Sir Chris Hoy and Ben Saunders.

Mission Automotive, the Armed Forces engagement initiative for the UK automotive industry, is delivered by Mission Motorsport, the Forces’ Motorsport Charity, in partnership with the Royal Foundation, and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. 

‘It can be difficult for Service leavers to translate how their military experience allows them to fit into a civilian career. Mission Automotive helps organisations to recognise, foster and retain that talent,’ says Mission Motorsport CEO James Cameron.

Companies such as Network Rail, who are among the top employers that recruit people with an Armed Forces background, were joined by more recent signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant like imployable – a veteran-owned career management app.

Silverstone signed the Armed Forces Covenant at the event

Jill Evans, a Network Rail Military Champion, sums up why events like these are important to the Armed Forces community: ‘Transitioning from the military can be a steep learning curve, but finding the right company for the person is important. The Armed Forces Covenant has made a huge difference and opportunities for veterans have greatly improved over the past 11 years [since Jill left the RAF], but from the feedback we get from veterans some negative bias seems to remain in the workplace, hence we still have work to do!’

Also in attendance offering advice and guidance were organisations from the Services charity sector. Charities like Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) recognise that some veterans may need extra support transitioning from the military and maximising their employment opportunities. ‘It’s a really good opportunity for us to interact with beneficiaries,’ says Laura Lewin, engagement manager at RBLI, ‘We’ve met some people here today that have been through the our LifeWorks course, and it’s really nice to catch up with them and see how they’re doing now, but also to promote the course to others in the Armed Forces community.’

In addition to hosting the event, Silverstone took the opportunity to solidify its own commitment to the Armed Forces family by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. Managing director Stuart Pringle signed alongside Colonel Andy Deans MBE, who signed on behalf of the MoD.

After this initial success, the Mission Motorsport National Transition Event is set to become an annual fixture!

Find out more

If you’re a veteran or in the process of transitioning from the military, keep an eye on Mission Motorsport’s events calendar for upcoming transition and training events.

For more information about how the Armed Forces Covenant can help you, click here.

Factfile

Click on the links below to find out more …
Mission Automotive
Mission Motorsport
RBLI LifeWorks course
Armed Forces Covenant

Main picture: The Mission Motorsport National Transition Event at Silverstone: getting ex-Forces personnel on track to a new career