Armed Forces

Linden Homes pledges support to armed forces personnel

Ahead of this year’s Armed Forces Day, top-10 UK housebuilder, Linden Homes is pledging to continue its support for ex-armed forces personnel and veterans. As the housebuilding division of Galliford Try, Linden Homes also supports Galliford Try’s signing of the Armed Forces Covenant. With this the company pledge to treat

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Why Construction Could Be the Next Step for Ex-Military

Last year, the number of people employed in the British Armed Forces numbered nearly 150,000. Of those, over 80,000 employed in the British Army and over 30,000 in the Royal Navy. However, over 14,000 people leave the military every year. This has become somewhat of a blessing for the construction

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Crest Nicholson Creates Career Options for Veterans

Developer Crest Nicholson has launched a new dedicated training scheme for former members of the Armed Forces, agreeing to offer army veterans the opportunity to build a career in the housebuilding sector with its new scheme. “As a nation, we owe a great deal to our Armed Forces and it

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

Armed Forces

Linden Homes pledges support to armed forces personnel

Ahead of this year’s Armed Forces Day, top-10 UK housebuilder, Linden Homes is pledging to continue its support for ex-armed forces personnel and veterans. As the housebuilding division of Galliford Try, Linden Homes also supports Galliford Try’s signing of the Armed Forces Covenant. With this the company pledge to treat those who have served in the armed forces and their families with fairness and respect.   Signing the pledge is part of a continuing commitment by Linden Homes to help ex-armed forced personnel. Linden Homes recently supported Matt Knight into a career in the housebuilding industry, following his time in the Royal Navy. After a three year career in the armed forces, Matt joined Linden Homes’ South Division as a trainee site manager in November 2018. Matt has begun to build a new career in housebuilding and has used the skills he gained in the military to help do this. Matt explained: “There are a lot of similar skills you need for a successful career in the Royal Navy and as a site manager. In both roles you need to have excellent communication skills, as you’re often dealing with people from all different walks of life – whether that’s the different trades you’re working with on site, or dealing with company directors, that can be like dealing with Navy officers.” Matt has built his skills and expertise in his new career, and taken advantage of opportunities on offer to him through Linden Homes: “Linden Homes has been fantastic when it comes to offering training to help me get where I want to be. So far, I’ve undertaken the Site Management Safety Training Scheme, as well other relevant health and safety to ensure everyone working on site is doing so in a safe manner. In the coming months I will be undertaking an NVQ in Construction Contracting Operations, which will help me progress to assistant site manager and then hopefully to site manager”. Andrew Hammond, CEO of Linden Homes, said: “In the run up to Armed Forces Day we are extremely proud to be able to continue to support former service men and women into new careers. During his time in the Royal Navy, Matt learnt many life skills that make him ideally suited to the role of site manager. He is organised, has excellent communication skills and knows how to work as part of team. Housebuilding offers a diverse range of job opportunities and we always welcome applications from ex-armed forces personnel and former veterans who are considering a change in career.” Armed Forces Day takes place on Saturday 29 June with a number of events taking place up and down the country, to find an event near you visit www.armedforcesday.org.uk/find-events. For further information about the careers on offer at Linden Homes visit: www.lindenhomes.co.uk/careers

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Why Construction Could Be the Next Step for Ex-Military

Last year, the number of people employed in the British Armed Forces numbered nearly 150,000. Of those, over 80,000 employed in the British Army and over 30,000 in the Royal Navy. However, over 14,000 people leave the military every year. This has become somewhat of a blessing for the construction industry, as it has created a sea of potential employees. Over 200,000 extra workers are needed before 2020 and ex-military personnel have highly transferrable skillsets and the potential to reach the top of the industry. Ryan Latham, Senior Marketing Executive for 3B Training, has experienced firsthand how businesses can benefit from hiring ex-military personnel. “Construction as an industry is growing, but it’s also is experiencing a gap in skills. An excellent way to fill in the hole for personnel with leadership, project management and teamwork skills is to investigate the pool of military leavers available. These transferable attributes are a valuable resource for the construction industry to help bring in skilled young workers. Other industries appear to ignore Armed Forces leavers as potential employees, so much so that some leave their service history from their CV. Little do they know that they are missing out on a range of positive personality traits such as courage, discipline, selflessness and respect for others”. Below, we take a closer look at what it’s like working in the military, what motivates members of the Armed Forces and why transitioning to a career in construction is the ideal next step for a leaver. Why do people leave the military? To understand why many people choose to leave the service, we’ve examined data from the 2018 UK Regular Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey Results which look at the impact of decisions affecting personnel. Life in the Armed Forces requires specific demands that aren’t found in civilian jobs. When deployed, military personnel can find themselves away from their families for long periods of time, often in dangerous situations. Yet despite this, we found that the most common reasons for military personnel to seek a new career path are down to more familiar concerns: Job satisfaction —  Only 55% of military personnel claimed they were generally satisfied with their job. Pay satisfaction — There has been a consistent drop in pay satisfaction since 2010, with only 31% currently admitting to being happy with their salary. Life satisfaction — When questioning their happiness and how worthwhile they feel the things they do in life are, at least one in five members of the military rate them as low. Since 2005, the Royal Marines have also seen a large decrease in the levels of satisfaction with opportunities for professional and personal development. It seems then, that much like civilian jobs, careers in the military are more motivated by personal growth and satisfaction. This has led to a staggering 42% of military personnel actively searching for a new career outside of the Armed Forces over the past 12 months. Why choose construction? The construction industry is currently suffering from a skills shortage, resulting in a need for over 200,000 more workers by 2020. According to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the lack of skilled workers in the UK is the highest level since 2007, meaning the government’s initiative to build 300,000 new homes each year looks optimistic at best. Former military personnel have a great opportunity to fill the construction skills gap. There are many sectors in the Armed Forces which provide their personnel with a number of highly transferrable skills, whether that’s engineering, mechanics or electronic. A number of companies recognise the potential of military leavers and provide specialist training programmes to help them adjust to civilian life and a new career in construction. There are specialist courses available that provide Enhanced Learning Credits to enable lifelong learning to ex-members of the military or those looking to leave. These credits cover 80% of course fees and are available to anyone who has served a minimum of 6 years. Working in construction allows leavers to put their experience to good use in a number of potential opportunities. The industry is not only in desperate need of construction workers but also manager positions, which is perfect for ex-officers who have experience leading teams and getting results in difficult situations. What makes ex-military personnel a desirable workforce? When working in the armed forces, you receive a level of training that simply isn’t available in other career paths. Regardless of their previous role, leavers are all highly disciplined and have fantastic teamwork skills. According to the Armed Forces survey results, 82% agree that they have confidence in themselves as a team, plus, 78% believe their team know exactly what their responsibilities are and that their team can be relied upon to help when their job gets difficult. A strong team that can work well together and keep their cool under pressure is exactly what the construction industry needs. Many working in the military are proud of the work they do, with 50% of the Royal Marines claiming that their service inspires them to do the best in their job. With the construction industry looking for a dedicated new workforce, finding employees who take pride in their work is crucial. Leavers are not just job applicants to the construction industry, they’re assets. Due to their experiences in the Armed Forces, they can pick up skills much faster than most people in civilian professions and can help quickly fill the large skills gap. A team of highly trained, dedicated workers and authoritative, respected managers is the solution the industry has been looking for. Samantha Gregory, Training Coordinator at 3B Training and former Vehicle Mechanic in the REME, knows firsthand what ex-military can offer the construction industry. “The work ethic for military leavers is completely different from civilians. It is embedded in us to turn up on time (5 minutes before 5 minutes early) and to just get the job done. Leavers are great at working under pressure and are taught to work through

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Crest Nicholson Creates Career Options for Veterans

Developer Crest Nicholson has launched a new dedicated training scheme for former members of the Armed Forces, agreeing to offer army veterans the opportunity to build a career in the housebuilding sector with its new scheme. “As a nation, we owe a great deal to our Armed Forces and it is particularly pertinent at this time of year to reaffirm our commitment to them,” said Patrick Bergin, CEO of Crest Nicholson. “Currently, we have a number of employees across our business who have been involved with, or touched by, the Armed Forces. They bring a wealth of transferable skills, experience and values to their roles thanks to the world-class training they have received during their time with the military and we recognise the valuable contribution they can make to our business. It gives me great pride to sign the Armed Forces Covenant today and to formalise our ongoing commitment to supporting these men and women.” The agreement was signed by Patrick Bergin and Lt Col Paddy Baines MBE, who signed it on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Crest Nicholson hosted the signing event at its Arborfield Green development, which is being delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Defence on the site of the former Arborfield Garrison. “The Armed Forces Covenant relies on the people, communities, and businesses of the UK to actively support it and make a difference. Clearly Crest Nicholson PLC already recognise the benefits of engaging with defence particularly in the employment of skilled service leavers and we look forward to furthering our mutually beneficial relationship,” added Lieutenant Colonel Baines. Crest Nicholson has been building new homes for over 50 years and is firmly established as a leading developer with a passion for not just building homes, but creating vibrant sustainable communities. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities, both now and in the future, by providing better homes, workplaces, retail and leisure spaces.

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