What are your career options after leaving the military

30 Jan 2023

What are your career options after leaving the military

You’ve served your country well during your years in the Armed Forces but it’s understandable as you come to the end of that career that you might be wondering what job options are open to you. It can be a daunting time as you transition to a civilian career and that is why it’s best to work with a recruitment company that recognises your assets and knows exactly where to place you. Our time-served ex-force candidates have a lot to offer the job market but it’s about understanding what transferable skills you might have, and which opportunities are open to you.

Why not join the booming marine sector that needs skilled ex-forces candidates?

Whilst SLR is strategically located on the south coast, we have contacts all over the UK. We have built relationships with shipyards across the UK such as Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Barrow in Furness, Glasgow, Cammell Laird and Falmouth to name but a few. With a huge injection of cash from the government plus a National Shipbuilding Strategy which shows no signs of slowing, it’s an exciting sector that values the experience, qualifications and skill set our ex-forces candidates possess.

The support ex-force candidates need
What is needed as you transition from the military into the civilian job world is guidance that helps you capitalise on your skills and experience and points you in the right direction. At SLR we have worked with many individuals as they leave the military and move into the marine sector. It means we understand the worries and questions candidates might have. Whether it’s maximising your CV, evidencing qualifications, or holding onto your security clearance, our well-trained team are at the end of the phone to answer everything you need to know.

From military to shipbuilding
Fortunately, time-served individuals are incredibly sought after in this well-funded and rapidly growing sector. The marine sector needs a whole array of skilled individuals to facilitate major marine projects ranging from engineers to industrial cleaners. Many of the skills gleaned during your time in the military are precisely what is needed for large-scale shipbuilding projects. Here are some of the trades that are needed to facilitate:

  • Engineers
  • Project managers
  • Welders
  • Painter
  • Industrial cleaners
  • Electricians
  • Platers
  • Mechanical fitters
  • Firewatch personnel
  • Platers

Got security clearance? It opens doors in shipbuilding.

We know that it feels daunting when finishing your career in the Armed Forces but there is so much opportunity ahead in the shipbuilding sector. One of the positives of our time-served candidates is they often carry security clearance. Many shipbuilding projects are sensitive, and this level of clearance already puts you ahead of other candidates for the jobs. That is why the marine sector is such a natural next step for ex-forces.

The MOD has benefited greatly from £4BN boost to the National Shipbuilding Strategy pledged in March 2022 which has galvanised the marine sector in the UK and cemented its global presence. Shipbuilding is such a varied sector that also includes cruise liner building and refit work.

This means stacks of opportunities for skilled tradespeople and a whole new career path after leaving the military.