Over 50 Veterans use their technical skills to inspire the next generation
The Ministry of Defence Further Forces programme has recruited its 50th trainee from the Armed Forces to teach technical skills in Further Education. 53 people, who have left the Services in the last five years, are now receiving free teacher training to bring their skills to technical education in Further Education – from hairdressing and catering to IT and Physics.
Anyone leaving the Services, or who has left in the last five years, can get free training and support to translate their technical skills into a full-time teaching post in Further Education – teaching students aged 16+. Further Forces focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and wider technical areas that encompass many of the skills gained in the Services, including: Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care; Business and Administrative; Catering and Hospitality; Childcare and Education; Construction; Creative and Design; Digital; Health and Science; Legal, Finance and Accounting; Protective Services; Sales, Marketing and Procurement; Social Care; Transport and Logistics.
“Armed Forces personnel have an exceptional level of technical skill and expertise. It is these skills that are crucial to the future success of the UK. Now we can help more ex-Services to teach Further Education students and so give them the skills to work in UK industry and boost our economy.” Major Kev Holligan, TESRR (Training, Education, Skills, Recruitment and Resettlement), MoD
Further Forces was highlighted in the Government’s recent ‘Strategy for our Veterans’ as a valuable pathway for Veterans to continue their education and development of skills to improve their employment prospects. Every recruit with Further Forces is given one-to-one mentoring to support their transition to teaching in Further Education.
“Having spent time researching different routes into teaching, I was feeling quite overwhelmed and disorientated about all of the different options. However, when I spoke to the Further Forces team, I breathed a sigh of relief as everything was clearly addressed and I felt very well supported to pursue my chosen career.” Andrew Marsh ex-Royal Army Veterinary Core, now a Living Skills Trainer for the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) through Further Forces.
Contact Nicola Hern: info@furtherforces.org.uk Tel: 07980 098652
The Further Forces programme aims to recruit Service Leavers with relevant technical knowledge, skills and experience to train to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and wider technical subjects in further education. The programme is commissioned by the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education, with the support of the Gatsby Charitable Trust. It is delivered by the Education and Training Foundation with University of Portsmouth and the Association of Colleges as the training hubs, and the University of Brighton providing subject specialist mentoring for trainees. It aims to recruit and train 210 further education teachers by July 2020. Further Forces is free to access for both Service Leavers and Further Education providers.
The programme was cited in the November 2018 ‘The Strategy for Our Veterans UK Government Consultation Paper’ as it is a lead programme in offering opportunities for Veterans to continue their education and development of skills to improve employment prospects.
About Further Forces
In its first year, the Further Forces programme has helped people from all roles within the Armed Forces to find a new career as a teacher in the Further Education sector.
The Further Forces Programme has been created by the MoD and Department of Education. The programme trains anyone leaving the Forces and helps find them employment so they can bring their technical knowledge and skills into teaching, and help meet the demand for technical skills across FE.
All Service Leavers are enrolled onto a career transition programme that will prepare them for the transition between the Armed Forces and a teaching role in FE. Part of this programme will help develop their job application and interview skills. You will be able to interview the suitable Service Leaver and select the candidate most appropriate for your vacancy. If the interview is successful, you can recruit the Service Leaver into a salaried post (usually full-time or possibly part-time- 0.8 FTE). Alongside this employment, the Service Leaver will also be enrolled on a teacher training programme that, upon completion, will result in a University-awarded teaching qualification.
So, if you are looking to fill any technical vacancies, think about Further Forces. There is no charge to any FE provider and the recruit’s training is fully covered by the programme.
Jonny Brown
After six years as a technical support specialist in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, including two tours in Afghanistan, Jonny is now an electrical installations tutor at York College.
Life In The Army: A Learning Experience
For Jonny, joining the Army when he was 16 was the right move. As well as building up specialist skills and experience in providing logistical support, he learnt to work effectively as part of a team, to adapt to often challenging circumstances, to communicate well and to accept responsibility confidently. These skills serve him well in his post-army life.
Making The Transition
The transition was not easy at first. “The hardest job to leave is your first one. All I knew was the Army. I’ve been lucky – but it’s been hard work!” Teaching was not his first choice. His initial goal was to train as an electrician. He was clear that, rather than the army’s resettlement option, he wanted a mainstream course. On his way to becoming a fully qualified electrician, with a Level 3 NVQ Electrical qualification, he volunteered for basic tasks and learnt from watching experienced practitioners. “Observe, reflect, learn from others,” was – and still is – his guiding principle. After his initial training at Darlington College, he became a workshop tutor at the college for three years, working on practical elements which engaged students. “It was a good step into education.”
The Next Step
Now at York College, Jonny is continuing to extend his qualifications and develop his career as an FE tutor. Well supported by the college and Further Forces, he has followed the ‘Lifelong Learning’ programme, to the Certificate in Education (Teacher Training). So has been able to gain his qualification while working at York College.
Further Forces offers a good structure that provides a security while transitioning to civilian life and work. “I really value the approach of Further Forces to my personal and professional development. I have one of the college’s Assistant Principals as my mentor, and so feel I have a well-supported career route mapped out.”
A Good Move?
Jonny is emphatic. “I love my job. It’s not an instant thing – when you see people finally ‘get it’ and do well after you’ve spent time helping them, you think: I did part of that!”
