Military service improves a jobseeker’s chances of finding work, a major report reveals today.
Eight out of ten veterans from the army, navy and Royal Air Force returning to Civvy Street find employment - a figure higher than the national average.
The report, titled Veterans Work: Moving On, surveyed 1,786 UK servicemen and women who had left the military in the past ten years.
Contrary to stereotypes, employment among veteran armed forces at 81 per cent exceeds the UK employment rate of 75.5 per cent.
Veterans Work - a consortium of professional services firm Deloitte, armed forces charity the Officers’ Association and The Forces in Mind Trust - aims to improve understanding of the issue.
Their research found two thirds of veterans (62 per cent) identifying as having a mental health disability are in jobs.
Employment rates for the same disability across the UK working age population is just a quarter (25 per cent).
The YouGov survey also found that four in ten (39 per cent) employers believes veterans are more likely to be “institutionalised” and a third (30 per cent) said serving in the Armed Forces “damages people”.
Deloitte partner Chris Recchia, chair of the Veterans Work consortium, said: “This data dispels those negative stereo-types. Our study found veterans are highly employable due to the hard work, determination, flexibility in where they work and, critically, a willingness to try a whole new career.”
Lee Holloway, chief executive of the Officers’ Association added: “There is a clear gulf between how the public per-ceive veterans and the reality. Veterans are more likely to be employed for instance, regardless of disability or mental health.
“The outlook for Service leavers is very promising. These research findings will help employers become better placed to recruit, retain and benefit from employing veterans.”
Defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: “Those who have served in our armed forces leave with a fantastic range of transferrable skills, including leadership, team work and resourcefulness.
“Organisations can benefit significantly from their experience, and so it’s important we dispel the myth that veterans are somehow damaged by their service.
“We will continue to support our service leavers in whichever route they choose to take, through initiatives such as our Career Transition Partnership.”
