EX-FORCES INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR | FINALIST
Thank you British Ex-Forces In Business Awards for this nomination, the FTG are so proud to be nominated amongst the thousands of servicemen and women who leave the British Armed Forces each year creating a rich talent pool for employers across all sectors. The world-class skills and renowned values nurtured within the British Armed Forces arm service leavers with the experience, capability and aptitude to offer a great talent to businesses and to be part of that is a true honour.
Establishing a meaningful second career can be challenging, with visibility of role models and awareness among employers of the veteran’s talent pool historically lacking. A third of UK hirers told a study by SSAFA they’d feel reluctant hiring a veteran, and just 48% of workers said they would feel comfortable working with a service leaver. This is something that held me back in the first to years of leaving, both myself and my employer did not understand the emotional pathway we were both on.
The FTG are simplifying this process by waking up The Sleepwalker Effect and creating The Hunter Effect. Firstly giving Ownership to every individual and their family, followed by Direction into the pathway they will be happy and excel within, and ultimately finishing with solid and quality Decisions on roles in specific organisations and business.
The 5 Fundamentals begin this process: CV – CPD – NETWORKING – ELEVATION – FINANCE.
These alert the mindset that movement forward must be made. The fundamentals must be taught correctly, to a high standard and then followed up. Once the Fundamentals are being achieved, allowing some job acceleration understanding is crucial. This enhances business knowledge, clarifies jargon and creates fine networks. To end, an Emotional Pathway should be understood, ‘Why will I feel like this?’, what is normal and what is not. This Pathway is bolstered by organisations getting involved and ownership being taken on both sides. Organisations are starting to understand the individuals that will become part of their company and offer them a structured and mentored route into their new life.
Service people work on intuition, they know when something is right or wrong. However, when it comes to ‘The Transition’ a back seat can be taken and The Sleepwalker Effect can set in creating huge stress and anxiety, adding to an already daily changing picture. Driving The Hunter mindset doesn’t allow The Sleepwalker in, it actually wakes up the mind to move forward and begin to take control of the future. Once this happens, they will be a success.
My story after 22 years’ service within the British Army saw The Sleepwalker come into play and the above issues were part of my everyday life. It was difficult, it caused a 2-year struggle into a new normality once I left and into a place I didn’t want to be mentally. I felt I didn’t have control or know who I was.
We now have the ability and platform to increase the theory behind this and create positive results. ‘The Transition’ has a negative vibe within the military community, which survives as military people follow military people and what is said must be true. However, if we strive for a positive vibe then that will become normal and everything will change.
I would personally like to thank The Insure Life Group for the chance to bring such a powerful proposition to service life and also to Force Four Training for giving the FTG a platform to be proud of. I would also like wish all nominees the best of luck and we look forward to meeting you all in London.