20th June 2019: External Event – Virgin Money Careers Access Day – Newcastle upon Tyne

In November 2015, a group of 12 ex-forces Virgin Money colleagues began getting together once a month to offer mutual support to one another in the transition from the Armed Forces into Virgin Money. This small network wanted to do something practical and positive to support others who may be on a similar journey, leading […]

20th June 2018

The Five Lines of Operations that will Help your Transition – Part One

With a background in Plans and Operations it’s no surprise that David Orr, a former Army officer, put a lot of thought into planning his transition. He shares his method and the lessons he learnt on the way. It is now a year since I started my resettlement journey – transitioning to civilian life after […]

1st February 2019

Did you leave the Forces after the age of 50? We want to hear from you

We are researching the experiences of those who left the Armed Forces at age 50 +, to understand the employment barriers they face. Of the thousands of people who leave the Armed Forces every year around 1,000 of them are aged 50+. Many of those who leave aged 50 or over have reported difficulties deciding […]

22nd November 2018

Being a Former Officer Helped Sophie Win Bake Off

Sophie Faldo won the Great British Bake Off last year. As well as a baking champion, she is also a former Army Captain. Sophie spoke to the OA about her career and cakes. Why did you leave the Army? I left for a multitude of reasons: it was a good time and I had achieved […]

18th September 2018

Six Key Insights About Becoming a Project Manager

Matt Wright and Freddie Milne, former Army captains and FDM Ex-Forces Consultants, share their top transition tips and how FDM can support your career journey. 1. Networking Never network for network’s sake. Always have a purpose. 2. Decide what you want from your new role There are different factors to consider when choosing a role, […]

23rd August 2018

This Former Royal Navy Officer Became a Published Author in Less Than a Year

Mike Klidjian spoke to the OA about how he became a professional writer and his first novel Bluestreak. Tell us about yourself I joined the Royal Navy in 1999 as a warfare officer. Following basic training I was fast tracked into Fighter Controller training, before eventually becoming Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Boyce. Highlights of my […]

10th August 2018

Half of Military Families Feel ‘Disadvantaged About Family Life’

According to a new Ministry of Defence (MoD) report, which surveyed more than 5,000 spouses and civil partners of regular trained Service Personnel In the UK Tri-Service Families Continuous Attitude Survey 2018, 50% of respondents said their family life was disadvantaged compared to the general public. 57% feel negatively about the amount of separation from […]

31st July 2018

My military transition ‘top tips’, by John Kerner

John Kerner was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Logistic Corps, before leaving the Army in 2016. He originally published this article on LinkedIn, to help Service Leavers better understand the challenges of transition and improve their chances of landing a great first role. He is now a director with Highways England, responsible for delivering […]

22nd September 2017

Sign up to J.P. Morgan’s Ex-Military Transition Programme

Join to get the skills and experiences you need to start a career in global finance. J.P. Morgan’s internship programme will give you first-hand experience of working in the City for a leading global financial services firm. The programme will teach you how to use your skills gained in the military to flourish in a […]

14th September 2017

Finding a Flexible Approach to Work after Service Life, by Harriet Rogers

Harriet Rogers shares her story about wanting a new career that is more flexible and not office based. It was during my career transition workshop, run via CTP, that panic began to set in. My fellow officers announced their chosen industries to work in after leaving the military – Project Management, Consultancy, Defence Sales, Finance […]

9th August 2017