Groundbreaking event highlights challenges for ex-forces personnel in ‘civvy street’

A GROUNDBREAKING event aimed at highlighting the challenges ex-Forces personnel face returning to ‘civvy street’ has been a major success.

More than 30 exhibitors and hundreds of delegates attended a first-of-its-kind job fair and networking event organised by Gemini Forces and Drivers Direct, working together as the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS).

The event at the Garrison Sports Centre, in Aldershot, Hampshire, was aimed at helping past, present and future service leavers and their family members access a range of support organisations and find meaningful employment.

Harry Dean, Gemini Forces director who served in the Army for 30 years, said: “We’ve broken new ground with the BFRS event and it proved to be a resounding success with attendees and exhibitors alike. It gave service leavers and their families the perfect platform to meet recruiters specifically looking for their skill sets and experiences gained in military life.”

Exhibitor, Nicky Orchard, head of personnel services at Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “We have taken on ex-military personnel and have found their transferrable skills to be a real benefit in a range of roles from project managers to environmental health officers.”

Royal Military Police sergeant Graham Hill, who is due to leave the service in October, said: “I’m keeping my options open but the event itself opened my eyes to the possibilities available when I leave the service.”

Gemini Forces specialises in helping ex-Services personnel find employment when they return to civilian life. It has helped countless ex-Services personnel make the seamless transition to civilian life, finding employment in an array of industry sectors including Health & Safety, environmental, aviation, facilities management, project management and defence consultancy sectors.

“The help ex-Forces personnel can access when making the transition to civilian life is an unknown quantity for many. Our event in Aldershot also made delegates aware of the training packages they are entitled to when leaving the services which can give them a huge boost when returning to civilian life.”

During the BFRS event, keynote speaker Col Richard Kemp CBE raised the issue of the transition from military to civilian life.

He said: “In my experience since leaving the Army, most former service people tend to very much undersell themselves. It is really important that they recognise the impressive range of skills and experience they have acquired in their military service so that they can market themselves to employers.”

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