SkyBlue sets out to exploit ex-Service personnel skills

SkyBlue, one of the UK’s leading specialist recruitment agencies, is aiming to target up to 15,000 servicemen and women who leave the UK armed forces each year, to help meet the growing demand for skills in Britain’s construction and services industries.

The company believes that many of the 10,000 - 15,000 people who leave the Army, Navy and RAF each year have a range of valuable, transferable skills that are applicable across the rail, construction, project management and services industries.

In light of such figures the agency has launched SkyBlue Reinforcements, a programme that offers opportunities for Service leavers of all ranks and ages to develop a civilian career.

When an individual decides to leave the Services, he or she is eligible for retraining and career consultancy provided by the Career Transition Partnership, part of the Coutts Consulting Group. This can include trial placements with prospective employers. A feature of SkyBlue’s Reinforcements scheme is that it can set up these work placements in a wide range of disciplines.

SkyBlue general manager Colin Trussler said: “Service leavers often do not realise what valuable transferable skills they have required. Quite apart from technical, practical skills, there are things they may take for granted such as teamwork, discipline, leadership and resourcefulness, which are very important in our business and can give them a head start in a second career.”

SkyBlue, part of the UK’s leading construction to services group Carillion, is able to identify the training needs of applicants and can help Service leavers convert their military experience into civilian qualifications in many areas, from the basic entry-level ticket required for work on rail projects, to computer skill, to chartered qualifications. (MB)