Hampshire County Council helped organise an event this week aimed at offering people leaving the Armed Forces advice on future careers.

Ever speculated about how great it would be to run your own pub, chatting with customers and not having to pay for the occasional drink ‘on the house’? The reality is much more challenging but equally fulfilling. Coronation Street has its Rovers Return. EastEnders has the Queen Vic. Even Emmerdale has the Woolpack. The local pub is at the heart of the respective communities in some of the UK’s most popular TV dramas as the place where people come together – or to blows! And pubs and bars also continue to be an important part of British culture – as shown by their high pr

Construction is the largest industry in the UK, with a turnover of £149 billion and a workforce of over two million people. The sector's main provider of careers information, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), explains how the sector can offer plenty of opportunities for service leavers. Does construction have a future? Well, the Government has pledged to invest £76 billion in schools, roads, social housing and hospitals over the next five years. In addition to this, a further £10 billion is being spent on the new London Crossrail link, and hosting the Olympic a

Still wanting to make a difference now you’re moving back into civilian life? One of the UK’s largest employers is on the look-out for flexible, adaptable and skilled people. So could you be a civil servant? As a member of the Armed Forces you have at least one thing in common with the BBC’s weather presenters (who are actually employed by the Met Office), the taxman and British diplomats around the world. You are a servant of the Crown, and – whatever your political affiliation – you’ve been spending your days working for the government. As you make your way through res

Looking for a career that pays you to work in the great outdoors? Civvy Street highlights the employment opportunities offered through countryside management. It’s been said that one of the UK’s most valued resources is its natural landscape; whether it’s majestic mountains in the Scottish Highlands, the rocky coast of Cornwall, the calm beauty of the Lake District or the unique wetland environment of the Norfolk Broads, the British Isles offer a wide range of scenery to admire and explore. However, even the seemingly most natural and untouched British landscapes show the ma

Becoming a driving instructor can be a great route to self-employment. So where do you start? Cast your mind back to the day you passed your driving test. For many people, learning to drive is an important rite of passage – and it’s a fantastic feeling when you finally have the freedom of the roads. As a driving instructor, you can help other people learn to drive safely and responsibly. Like any teaching job, it’s a rewarding and often enjoyable career; it can also give you the opportunity to run your own business. 81% of men and 61% of women now hold driving licences â€

Looking for a hands-on trade that has great prospects? Becoming an electrician in civvy street could well be the switch you’re looking for. The world we live in is an increasingly wired-up one, and our lives are ever more dependent upon the unending flow of electrons that power everything from our alarm clocks and cookers to street lights and offices. But at the same time, fewer people than ever seem to be able to even change the fuse in a plug. Of course, electricity can be dangerous, particularly when combined with people who don’t know what they’re doing. So it’s clear th

The UK’s energy sector plays an increasingly crucial role in our day-to-day lives - impacting on both the economy and the environment. It also remains an important employer, as Civvy Street explains. hat comes to mind when you think about the UK’s energy industry? Massive North Sea oil rigs being lashed by hostile waves? Vast oil and gas refineries, their constant illumination lighting up the night sky? Huge nuclear reactors such as Torness and Sizewell B? The truth is that the UK’s energy sector - an umbrella term for a host of industries involved with the extraction,

It offers fresh challenges, excellent rewards and the potential to build on your Services-honed skills - so is field sales on your careers shortlist? Sales people get a lot of flak. While they may not be quite at the top of people’s hate lists when it comes to the most despised professions around (an honour usually reserved for the likes of journalists, traffic wardens and politicians), not many of us can honestly say we like being sold to - particularly when you get a ‘cold-call’ just as you’re sitting down to a meal. So why would you want to move into a sales role?

In the second installment of our series focusing on the Emergency Services, we show how the UK’s fire and rescue services can offer a similar working environment to the Armed Forces - and great career prospects. There’s a common misconception about firefighters - that they ‘just’ fight fires. But they do much more: from rescuing the proverbial cat stuck up a tree to attending road accidents, floods and terrorist bomb alerts, firefighters are on the front line at all types of incident. Indeed, an average of just one in five call outs - or ‘shouts’ - relates specifica