Employers Guide to Hiring Veterans launched by OVA

A new guide to assist employers with recruiting veterans and members of the armed forces community has been launched by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA).

The Employers’ Guide to Hiring Veterans features best practice, case studies and practical steps that any business can take to bring veterans and their families into their workforce. The OVA worked with leading domestic and international employers across the UK to produce the guide.

There are more than two million veterans in the UK, with over 13,000 individuals leaving the armed forces each year – 92% of those of working age with qualifications. This demonstrates a huge untapped potential of employees readily equipped with the qualifications, skills, strengths, experience, and expertise to make a positive contribution to some of the UK’s leading economic sectors. From manufacturing, to finance and professional services, energy to technology – they have the core transferable skills including leadership and resilience that can benefit any business.

The new guide is designed not only for businesses who are not currently employing veterans, but also for those who are and want to make further progress in their activities and status as a leading UK veterans’ employer.

Jeff Harrison, CEO at Combat Stress, said:

“This is a valuable guide for employers, and we hope it will lead to veterans having an easier path to recruitment after leaving the military. As an employer of veterans, we know they can bring a wealth of transferable skills and experience to the workplace that makes them an asset such as teamwork, being flexible and adaptable, very goal orientated, and many have inherent leadership skills at all levels.

“While the majority of service personnel make a successful transition to civilian life after leaving the Armed Forces, some require additional support due to their mental health. With help from Combat Stress, veterans can lead fulfilling lives and bring great value to the workplace.

The guide can be downloaded here.