Case Study
DE&S
Having established a long-standing relationship with the CTP, Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) are renowned for their desire to bring service leavers into their organisation. But what makes ex-military personnel the perfect fit for so many different roles within DE&S?
We spoke with Megan and Ceri from the Talent Acquisition team to find out more.
How long has DE&S been working with the CTP?
We’ve been working with CTP since 2008. CTP provides a valuable platform for promoting our roles to military leavers, who bring critical skills and experience to our organisation.
Can you tell us a bit more about your recruitment of Armed Forces leavers?
We’re dedicated to supporting veterans in their transition to a civilian role and have two main routes for entry.
Firstly, we advertise all our vacancies (apart from senior leadership positions) on CTP’s online job portal, RightJob – providing Service leavers with streamlined access to a wide range of opportunities within DE&S. We also recruit for our sister organisation, the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), and advertise all their roles too.
We’re also part of the Civil Service’s ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative. This means Service leavers can opt into the scheme on our application form, and - providing they meet the minimum criteria for the role - will be guaranteed an interview.
The second route is through our military transition scheme. We work directly with CTP and the Cabinet Office as part of the Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) initiative, helping military personnel and their families to find suitable career pathways.
They will benefit from hands-on experience in a civilian role, and we’ll work with them to bridge any experience gaps and prepare for interviews – ensuring they can confidently apply for a permanent role with us when they’re ready.
If a suitable role isn’t being advertised, we’re more than happy to receive speculative CVs, and will work with each individual to find an opportunity in the organisation where their skills are a good fit.
Are there any challenges the organisation was experiencing that have been met since employing Service leavers?
When it comes to hiring talent, we operate in a competitive market. We manage complex programmes of work for the procurement and in-service support of military equipment and vehicles, and this requires talented people with sought-after skills who understand both the engineering behind this equipment and the requirements of our military customers.
Service leavers are the ideal candidates for many of these roles, bringing experience, knowledge, and qualities that we value highly, while filling a growing skills gap in the engineering sector. We’re lucky that we have a pretty unique proposition too, working directly with the UK military, which is what attracts a lots of Service leavers to come and work here.
What unique qualities do you find Service leavers bring into DE&S
Many Service leavers have used or understand the equipment and support that we provide here at DE&S. Not only does this niche, hands-on experience give them a unique understanding of the kit’s functionality, but there’s also an added investment.
Each Service leaver understands the necessity of high-quality, safe-to-operate equipment, especially as it’s going to be used by the people they served alongside.
This, along with the key values engrained during their military experience – such as integrity, loyalty, respect, and teamwork – ensures they take great pride in their work. When you combine these skills with the risk-management mindset they’ve developed through their time in the military, it’s no surprise that veterans hit the ground running.
What types of roles do you recruit Service leavers and veterans in to?
We have a wide range of opportunities across a variety of specialisms. We tend to hire a lot of veterans into engineering, equipment support, operations management and project management roles – as well as other areas such as procurement, security, HR and IT. It’s safe to say we have all kinds of roles for all kinds of people.
Can you confirm how many of your employees have come from CTP since you started working with us?
We’ve seen around 100 permanent positions filled by Service leavers through CTP. We’re delighted to have worked with this organisation over the last ten years, and to have been able to support military personnel in their transition to a civilian role, while offering the opportunity to continue supporting the Armed Forces.
We’re constantly looking for ways to enhance our employment offering for Service leavers, to support our commitment to becoming the employer of choice for veterans.
Finally, what organisational benefits have you seen as a result of recruiting military personnel into DE&S?
Hiring military leavers enables us to fill vacancies with people who have the exact talent and skills needed to succeed in their role.
The unique qualities and experiences these individuals possess means, together, we’re able to provide the best service possible to our end-users, while meeting our short and long-term recruitment needs. Service leavers also understand the language and needs of the Armed Forces.
Their unparalleled insight into the services means they know exactly what our customers are looking for. They can communicate confidently with our customers, and work with them to troubleshoot any challenges and provide the best quality of service possible.
Our organisational purpose is to equip and support the UK military. By joining us, Service leavers can take on a secure and meaningful role, where their skills and experience are valued, and will continue to serve them well throughout their civilian career
