Avionics engineer Corporal Guy Dixon swapped the RAF for the world of aviation-related lean management with Airbus in Toulouse. Here he talks about his decision, his resettlement, and his new civilian life.

A soldier whose time in the Army is running out has used the Service's resettlement package to uniquely retrain as a watchmaker and has invented what he believes to be a world's first in timekeeping circles.

The Coalition Government has published its National Security Strategy (NSS), 'A Strong Britain in an Age of Uncertainty', which outlines its reappraisal of Britain's role in the world, the risks to our security and the implications for the UK. Together with the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) which will be published on Tuesday 19 October, the National Security Strategy (NSS) sets out the Government’s strategic choices on “how to ensure the security of our country and how we need the structures in place to allow us to react quickly and effectively to new and evolving threats”. The NSS and SDSR together provide direction for national security policy, capabilities and resources for the next five years. The NSS allows Departments to prioritise their resources according to the risks set out in the document. Continue reading “National Security Strategy Published” »

Part First World country, part emerging nation, South Africa has potential if your resettlement ambitions are more along the lines of a ranch than a semi. But this multicultural ‘Rainbow Nation’ is not without its challenges... South Africa is located at the very southern tip of the African continent, with 1,739 miles of coastline dipping one foot in the Atlantic and the other in the Indian Ocean. Land borders are shared with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. The country is classified by the UN as a middle-income country. It has abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and is noted for financial, legal, communications and transport sectors that have all developed in the past decade. In 2007, South Africa was ranked 25th in the world in terms of its GDP, and has become a leading player in not just African but also the world stage. South Africa has 11 official languages (Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu) – only Bolivia and India have more! However, English is the main language of commerce, science and inte

Brought to public attention as the filming location for Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, New Zealand – in the Māori tongue Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud –has much to offer. New Zealand is literally half a world away from the UK which, depending on how you feel about things, could be the biggest single incentive to actually relocate there! When it comes to distance, though, New Zealand is pretty far from everywhere. Mainland Britain is just 22 miles away from nearest neighbour, France; New Zealand, in comparison, is 1,180 miles from Australia – nobody, even covered in goose grease, is going to swim that! The two main islands that make up New Zealand have an area of 166,950 square miles, not that dissimilar to that of the UK. The big difference, though, is that more than half of the country is given over to pasture and arable farmland, while a further quarter is taken up by forest. Plus, roughly one tenth of New Zealand is considered ‘alpine’ terrain; the South Island has a thick spine of mountains running most of its length, great for skiing and climbing. Summer is invert

This issue’s resettlement sitrep focuses on a destinations highly popular with many Brits – Canada! Canada isn’t the US – which is either a huge plus or a big minus, depending on what you’re looking for in life! Most Canadians, though, like being different from their southern neighbours. Both nations are, of course, built on immigration, but the general view is that Canada has a much more relaxed and pluralistic society – officially confirmed by the 1988 Multiculturalism Act. Successive governments have encouraged racial and ethnic harmony, promoted cross-cultural understanding and discouraged hatred, discrimination and violence. Modern Canada regularly appears near (or indeed at) the top of numerous international ‘quality of life’ surveys. It has an excellent education system (with the highest tertiary education enrolment in the world) and an economy that, though certainly hit by the financial meltdown (the US is Canada’s major trading partner), remains among the strongest in the world thanks to its large natural resources – and could be among the earliest nations to break out of the recession.

In the first on an ongoing series, we offer you a sitrep about resettlement around the world, starting with one of the most popular destinations for ex-pats – Australia! Down Under has long attracted those Brits looking for a good life in the sun, a nation that – thanks to its strong British history (and indeed a former bias to immigrants from “the old country”) – will feel familiar, and yet comes with career and lifestyle opportunities lacking in a UK gripped by recession, drizzle and the latest series of Britain’s Got Talent. Australia has long been known as the lucky country, thanks in part to its vast mineral resourses – from iron ore and uranium to gold, silver and zinc – which made many a person’s fortune. Today, the country still has much to offer those willing to work hard and enjoy the benefits. It may be on the other side of the planet, but if you’re looking to put down roots somewhere that’s warm, vibrant and full of potential, then Australia could be the new home you’re looking for. Here are 50 things you should know about Australia. ECONOMY Australia has the 14th l

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD... In the first of a new series, we give you a sitrep about resettlement in various parts of the UK – starting with ‘North of the Border’! What does Scotland mean to you? Tartan and whisky? Bagpipes? Ruined castles overlooking glens of purple heather? Postcard-images of wee Highland terriers, smiling Nessie slugs, tins of shortbread, and ranks of diamond-patterned golf jerseys? That’s the image often promoted by the Scottish tourist industry, but of course there’s much more to 21st century Scotland that just tartan tat; for example, Aberdeen’s still Europe’s Oil Capital, Dundee is a major world player in the multi-million pound computer games industry, and Edinburgh remains a notable political and financial centre – admittedly somewhat cowed after the events of the last year! So, before you dismiss “Jockland” as a resettlement destination, here are 40 things you need to know about Scotland. ECONOMY: According to the most recent Lloyds TSB business monitor, fewer Scottish businesses reported a drop in turnover than in the previous quarter, suggesting a possibl

Thinking about  settling in Germany – what would Grandad say? Well, if he looked into it, he’d probably agree that the country offers great opportunities for British veterans! WORDS: TOM JAMISON The Federal Republic of Germany is at the centre of Europe, both physically (it’s bordered by France, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and both the North and Baltic Seas) and economically – it has the largest economy in the EU, which may explain why the European Central Bank operates from Frankfurt! Germany’s 137,847 square miles is home to 80 million people, including the third largest immigrant population in the world – a mix that brings its own challenges, not least unemployment which fluctuates at around 8% nationally. Split in two after the Second World War, Germany became a home from home for generations of British military personnel waiting to hold back the Russian hordes crossing the border from the communist German Democratic Republic. After the 1990 reunification, which saw East Germany incorporated into the Federal Republic, the UK’s perman

The South West is more than mysterious moors and sunny beaches. In fact from being built on shifting sands the economy of the South West makes it a solid choice for long term resettlement. WORDS: TOM JAMISON The South West is the largest of the nine recognised English regions (23,837sq km) and, with as much as 18% of the land mass, also has the highest regional percentage of rural land in England – up to three quarters of is used for agriculture. Although the region has a relatively small Gross Value Added (GVA) figure of about £97.8 billion (9% of the total for England), experts say that the local economy is robust and poised for further growth. The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has been clever to form a simple two-pronged strategy of developing regional companies’ ability to trade overseas, as well as promoting the region’s businesses for potential overseas investors. As a result, the region has seen steady growth overall, though there are some disparities between different places in the region. For example, it’s worth noting that more than half (53%) of the region’s output is co