John Wilson realised his boyhood dream of joining the army when he enlisted in 2008. But his military career tragically ended four years later when an improvised explosive device went off while he was on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He lost both his legs, was medically discharged from the army in 2014 and then struggled to find another job. “I’d get to the interview stage but then because of my prosthetic legs, employers would see me as a medical problem and I’d not hear back from them again,” he recalls.
Two years on Wilson, 29, has forged a new career path working for Transport for London (TfL), having completed a work placement organised via its Smart Sourcing initiative and successfully applied for a permanent role. Wilson now works as a compliance officer monitoring CCTV footage and issuing penalty notices to drivers who abuse the yellow box markings or red lines on London roads. “I feel great. I get up and get here on time. I’ve got a can-do attitude,” he says. “I’m glad to have a job, job security and a new career.”
Wilson is one of 27 ex-military personnel who have joined TfL through Smart Sourcing – its recruitment programme set up to encourage what TfL identified as a potential untapped workforce. Charlotte Johns, TfL’s head of recruitment says: “The ex-military have the sort of skills we need for roles we struggle to fill – bomb disposal experts, for example, have the same skills set as as electrical engineers. They bring teamwork and leadership skills, resilience and the ability to work under pressure. This isn’t tokenism – we are hiring the right people for the right job.”
The six-month placements give former service personnel invaluable experience if they have never set foot in a civilian workplace. They are encouraged to identify their transferrable skills under the programme and are also given support completing CVs and developing interview skills to help them feel confident enough to apply for permanent roles. The initiative also gives managers the chance to understand the specific issues somebody may have in Civvy Street. The scheme, designed to help individuals become work-ready, has been so successful that it is now being expanded to offer the same opportunities to ex-offenders.
Former army captain Alex Norman left the forces this summer after seven years in a variety of logistic roles because he no longer wanted to be posted abroad: “My next job could have taken me anywhere.” He is now on a TfL placement as an assistant project manager on large construction schemes. He lists attention to detail, exemplary time-management and people skills as the benefits he brings to the organisation: “I’ve an interview for a permanent role coming up, which shows that the scheme really works. If I get the job I’ll feel I have earned it on merit – but Smart Sourcing gave me the opportunity.”
