Equipped May 2015 by BC Portfolio

EQUIPPED MAY 2015

TRAINING RESETTLEMENT RECRUITMENT

THE ARMED FORCES RESETTLEMENT MAGAZINE

ADVICE

FINANCE YOUR FRANCHISE TIPS

MOVING HOME INFINITI & MORGAN TESTED

TIM COLLINS

SERVING

ROYAL NAV Y ARMY & AIR FORCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RFEA AND BFRS

10+

page

HOUSING

GUIDE

MAY 2015 FREE www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ON TRANSITION, TEAMWORK AND THAT SPEECH P.30

ALL YOU NEED

FREE

HOUSING

EMPLOYMENT EVENTS

CONSTRUCTION, ELC

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Hello! »Welcome

ALL YOU NEED

WELCOME TO OUR MAY ISSUE

TRAINING RESETTLEMENT RECRUITMENT

EQUIPPED MAY 2015 THE ARMED FORCES RESETTLEMENT MAGAZINE

FREE

SERVING

ROYAL NAVY ARMY & AIR FORCE

ADVICE

FINANCE YOUR FRANCHISE

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RFEA AND BFRS

10+

TIPS

MOVING HOME INFINITI & MORGAN

page

HOUSING

GUIDE

TESTED

olonel Tim Collins (Rtd) addressed troops in the second Gulf War with one of the most famous speeches in modern history. A copy reportedly hung in the White House Oval Office. So you can imagine we were thrilled – and daunted – when he agreed to an interview! Collins is known for being intelligent, idealistic and opinionated, and he lived up to all of those things when we put questions to him about transition from a military career. Read the full interview with the man behind the famous message on page 30. This month don’t miss our big 10-page Housing Special packed with tips on buying, renting and selling a home. We partnered with the Joint Services Housing Advice Office, MoneyForce and the ESPC for this, so if you aren’t moving now, be sure to save a digital or physical copy of this magazine for the future. We explore construction careers in a feature article, as well as our usual self development, training and career advice. Keith Turnbull joins us this month with a great column on how to use SWOT analysis to help you reach your goals. Whether you’re climbing the property ladder or the career ladder, Equipped is here to help you get to the next step.

TIM COLLINS

MAY 2015 FREE www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ON TRANSITION, TEAMWORK AND THAT SPEECH P.30

HOUSING

Moving on up

FOUR MUST READS IN THIS ISSUE

EMPLOYMENT EVENTS

CONSTRUCTION, ELC

May 15 cover.indd 1

27/04/2015 15:14

3 MUST READS

1 TIM COLLINS He’s a man who speaks his mind – find out what’s on it. P30

2 HOUSING SPECIAL Advice for buying, selling and moving home. P34

COVER IMAGE: TIM COLLINS - GILES PENFOUND

CONSTRUCTION CAREERS Build a career in the construction sector. P52

Caroline Equipped Media Group Ltd Office 5, 19 Underwood Road, Paisley, PA3 1TH Telephone 0141 840 4902 Interim Editor CAROLINE JONES CARRICK editor@equippedmedia.co.uk Designer/Media & Communications Mgr. BLAIR CARRICK blair.carrick@equippedmedia.co.uk

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General Manager JACQUIE MCGEOCH jacquie.mcgeoch@equippedmedia.co.uk Forces Consultant KEVIN BRANNIGAN kevin.brannigan@equippedmedia.co.uk Financial Accountant SUSAN NEWMAN susan.newman@equippedmedia.co.uk

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of EQUIPPED, the publishers can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufactucturers or advitisers. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Company registration number 08024516

Magazine & online May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 3

» MAY 2015

CONTENTS 30

JOBS AVAILABLE WITH...

HYWEL DDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD PAGE 23 BCA PAGE 33 CALA PAGE 54 Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Inside

This issue 6 BIG PIC Mastiff shot

8 NEWS

Latest updates

13 LOST IN TRANSITION Get on the property ladder

14 PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT SWOT yourself 16 CV Key people 18 FAMILY LIFE Before & after the forces 20 VET OF NOTE Richard Salter 24 ENTERPRISE Business quiz 26 BFRS Be proactive 30 COVER: TIM COLLINS Exclusive interview 34 HOUSING FEATURE 10+ page special 48 FRANCHISING Financing tips 52 CONSTRUCTION CAREERS Build a career 58 ELC How to claim 60 MOTORING Infiniti Q50, Morgan 3 Wheeler 68 CLASSIFIEDS Jobs and training 70 CAREER EVENTS Employment and traning fairs 72 CTP FACTFILE Vacancies 74 LETTERS Get in touch

ON THE COVER

SHUTTERSTOCK

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE SIAN RICHARDSON Former military spouse and career transition expert Sian founded Career Master 4 Military Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

KEITH TURNBULL Career transition and personal development expert Keith is a business and leadership coach

ANDREW NOAKES Our motoring editor test-drives the Infiniti Q50 and the Morgan 3 wheeler May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 5

»Bulletin

VE DAY COMMEMORATION » EBOLA AID » VET OFFENDERS SUPPORT » BOMB BLAST » COMMANDO HELICOPTERS » MEMORIAL SHELL CASE

Man and machine Members of 34 Regiment Squadron from RAF Leeming are shown here firing a .50 calibre heavy machine gun mounted on a Mastiff armoured vehicle, during a night time live firing exercise at

Warcop Ranges in Cumbria. The laser like effect in this image is caused by the prolonged camera exposure, streaking the rounds as they leave the barrel.

6 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 7

y a D ) E V ( e p o r u E in y r o 15 0 2 y Vict a M 8-10

A 3-day weekend of events will mark the 70th anniversary WW2 VETS IN FOCUS

The government will join the nation in marking the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day over the weekend of 8 to 10 May 2015. A series of national commemorative events will take place in London, and community events and celebrations are being organised across Britain. The Second World War generation will be at the heart of the celebration, and the Royal British Legion is inviting the veterans of VE Day to take part in the national commemorations in London. The invitation is to all those who played an active role during the Second World War - who served in the military, the Home Guard or in any one of the reserved occupations, including medics, police and the ‘Bevin Boys’. 8 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

To be eligible, veterans must be 85 years and over by 8 May 2015. All veterans can bring one nominated carer with them. Funding for travel will be made available for successfully accredited veterans and their carer to come to London. STAR-STUDDED CONCERT PLANNED

Live Nation and BBC, in partnership with the Royal British Legion will present an event celebrating VE day called VE Day 70: A Party to Remember. The concert, taking place at London Horse Guards Parade on Saturday 9 May, will be a focal point of the national celebrations for the 70th anniversary of VE Day. This one-off event will be broadcast that night on BBC One TV and on Radio 2. Hosted by Chris Evans, this

star-studded concert will include performances influenced by the era from actor Adrian Lester, comedian and presenter Alexander Armstrong, Britain’s favourite tenor Alfie Boe, actor Bernard Cribbins, boyband Blue, Britain’s Got Talent winners dance troupe Diversity, musical theatre’s leading lady Elaine Paige, hotly tipped jazz vocalist Gregory Porter, Dads Army’s Ian Lavender, R&B singer Jamelia, stage, screen and TV star Jane Horrocks, UK’s biggest mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins, pop starlet Pixie Lott, one of the best voices to come out of the X Factor singer Rebecca Ferguson, legendary rock band Status Quo and four couples from top entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing.

A ROYAL CELEBRATION

The Queen will attend a service of thanksgiving for VE Day 70 and communities are encouraged to take part in the celebrations. Buckingham Palace announced that Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family will attend a service of thanksgiving to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on 10 May 2015. People across the UK are also marking this milestone by attending or organising their own events as the nation comes together to celebrate. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and other members of the Royal Family, will attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe. The announcement from the Palace comes as more details of how people are celebrating VE Day 70 are revealed. Communities are being encouraged to organise or take part in celebrations that will celebrate the extraordinary generation who played such an important role in defending our country. There are many ways people can get involved, from attending or hosting a street party or picnic, to watching a special V-shaped beacon being lit in their community, or listening out for the bells ringing in their local cathedral or church. The public are being invited to share their plans on the newly launched VE Day 70 events map. Barbara Weatherill, 89, from Selby, North Yorkshire, was serving in Sunderland in the Army in 1945. “I’d heard the news about the war being over but couldn’t celebrate as I had to transport rations to another Army base. The journey took twice as long, as the streets were filled with people celebrating and having a great time. It will be fantastic to see some of that joy again in the celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary.” Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»News

Blast off A rmy Bomb disposal experts safely destroyed the unexploded WW2 bomb that brought an area of London to a standstill in late March and caused hundreds of people to be evacuated temporarily from their homes. The air drop World War Two Sprengbombe-Cylindrisch general purpose five foot long 250 kg German Bomb was moved to a safe location in Kent by the Army and detonated. Although the bomb was buried in a blast pit, and covered in sand to minimise the explosion, the blast was significant and there were reports that it could be heard over ten miles away. It is believed the bomb was dropped over London by the Luftwaffe on 11 May 1941 but unusually did not detonate. It had lain undisturbed deep in the ground for 70 years but was uncovered on Monday this week during construction works. Bomb disposal teams from Shorncliffe Troop 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Royal Logistic Corps and Sappers from 101 Engineer Regiment Explosive Ordnance Disposal from Wimbish were involved in excavating the device so that it could be safely defused. Royal Engineers built a safety Hesco “igloo” around the device to limit any explosion as the fuse, situated awkwardly underneath the bomb, had to be accessed by trenches which were dug carefully beneath it. Crucially, the Hesco bastion meant that the safety cordon could be reduced so disruption in this extremely busy part of the city could be minimised while the soldiers worked on the bomb. The experienced team had previously dealt with Improvised Explosive Devices in Afghanistan and Northern

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Ireland which are much more complex than a WW2 munition, even though this one was far from straightforward. The soldiers worked through the night in difficult conditions and finally made the device safe to move away under police escort in a specially designed metal container surrounded by tonnes of sand. Senior Ammunition Technician John Lester QGM from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Royal Logistics Corps who was in charge of the operation said: “We knew we had to get it away to dispose of it safely because trying to deal onsite with a bomb that size, even under a controlled explosion would cause significant damage to buildings, property and the risk to major loss of life in such a highly populated part of the city was very high.” The 15 strong team is permanently on standby to assist the civil powers in instances of this nature and have gone back to base to await the next call.

NEWS IN BRIEF

JOB ROTOR The MOD has awarded a helicopter support contract worth over half a billion pounds to AgustaWestland, sustaining more than 1,000 jobs across the UK. The £580M deal will provide maintenance support to the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 and Mk3 helicopters over the next five years.

FRANCHISING SHOW The British Franchise Exhibition takes place at EventCity, Manchester on 19th & 20th June 2015. Equipped readers can save £10 and gain free entry by registering online at www. franchisetickets.co.uk and entering the promotional code BFE1.

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 9

vet offenders support

he Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded a grant of £93,400 to the Probation Institute to fund a

project aimed at meeting the needs and providing effective services for veterans serving criminal sentences in the community.

A core role of the probation service is to manage the transition of those serving criminal sentences back in to society. This is done through

working with the offender and partner agencies in a supervised environment, to meet their needs in order to reduce the chance of them reoffending. There is currently no national mechanism to share knowledge on effective practice and information from locally run probation projects. There is also limited research and evaluation available into how the probation services are working to meet the needs of ex-Service personnel serving community sentences. The project, which will be carried out in three stages over three years, will examine in detail the impact of the probation services provided to offending ex-Service personnel as well as establish a network between service deliverers in order to promote knowledgesharing and improvements in service delivery. The implementation of this project comes just a few months after extensive changes to the probation service were announced by the government in October 2014; with 35 trusts replaced by 21 private companies competing for contracts.

he Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Argus has arrived back in the UK having completed its deployment to Sierra Leone where it supported the fight against Ebola. Her embarked helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron departed on Monday 6 April and arrived back at RNAS Culdrose; and the ship arrived back into Falmouth on 7 April at 0800. Argus deployed to Sierra Leone from Falmouth in October to provide aviation and amphibious support and medical capability to the 10 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Ship returns from ebola fight Department for International Development-led effort against the spread of Ebola. Her three Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and detachment of Royal Marines from 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines and 42 Commando helped deliver equipment, supplies and food packages to remote areas of Sierra Leone over six months. While Argus has left Sierra Leone, the UK mission is far from over. The UK remains committed to the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone with 300 military personnel remaining in country. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»News

Fight and flight

IX Commando Helicopter Force Merlin Mk3 helicopters proudly flew in formation over Somerset on 25 March to mark the return of 846 Naval Air Squadron to their home in RNAS Yeovilton. This six ship formation

flight marked a defining moment for the Commando Helicopter Force in its transition to the Merlin Mk3 helicopter, seeing 846 NAS not only return to Somerset but also to a brand new building. Lt Col Derek Stafford MBE RM, Commanding Officer of

846 Naval Air Squadron said, “I am deeply honoured and truly humbled to be not only the first Commanding Officer of the Squadron in the Merlin era, but also to have the privilege of leading the return of the Squadron to its spiritual home at RNAS Yeovilton.”

Having been based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire for the last three years, where 846 NAS personnel were trained by RAF instructors, 846 NAS are pleased to be reunited with the Commando Helicopter Force at RNAS Yeovilton once more.

Memorial Shell Case

SAFA Wilts began a tour of the SSAFA Afghanistan Shell Case in Salisbury on Sunday April 19th. The Case will be used over the coming months at events around the country to highlight SSAFAs work and will return to nearby Tidworth in September at the upcoming British Forces Resettlement Services Fair. The Afghanistan Shell Case, a brass 105 shell, bears the names of the 453 British service personnel killed during the Afghanistan conflict, 2001 -2014. The Shell Case has been

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

donated to SSAFA Wilts by Vince Ayris, a Swindon-based engraver, who has provided over 300 shellcases to the families of the fallen. Each case carried the name and regiment of the service member, and was given as a mark of respect, with the hope it might help in the grieving process. SSAFA Wilts plans to use the Afghanistan Shell Case to acknowledge the sacrifices made by these brave servicemen and women, and to highlight the losses that continue to be borne by those left behind. May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 11

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“Everything has panned out exactly as we were told it would. Dream Doors has been honest from the start, painting a realistic picture with real figures. I'm really enjoying being a business owner and have absolutely no regrets at all.” Ex-teacher, Lesley Wallace, joined in 2012 and sold half-a-million pounds in her first year. “This franchise works and the returns are much better than we'd expected. The figures we were shown are very conservative; we beat our first year targets in just four months. We should have done this sooner as I love coming into work every day.” Ex-police officer, Mark Battin sold three-quarters-of-a-million pounds in his first full year. “This business gets better and better all the time. We've had more record breaking months already this year. Sales like ours can only be achieved if you have the right support network around you; whether that is staff or suppliers, the franchisor or your family.” Ex-IT specialists, Angela and Clive sold more than £1 million last year. “We wanted to start our own business, but take some of the risk out of the equation. Dream Doors ticked every box: it's well-established with a strong track record, plus it has an excellent support network. And, with such a busy start, we've relied on that support.” Ex-police officer, Gareth Kavanagh-Dixon, sold £450,000 in his first year.

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»Lost in transition

»News

ALEX COOPER

ged 24 I was offered the opportunity to buy a cheap flat at a sum that was affordable on a subbie’s salary (if I rented it out and stayed in the Mess). You’ll be unsurprised to know that I turned down the chance and now find myself saddled with a mortgage that’ll see me working well into my dotage to pay off. At today’s prices the flat would now be worth 7-8 times the purchase price and, when I consider that I could have been mortgage-free by now, I look back on that missed opportunity and curse my short-sightedness. Finding sustainable housing is, along with employment, one of the most important aspects of a successful transition. Just over half of RN & RAF personnel and a third of Army personnel buy a property while serving; unfortunately a significant minority enter their transitional period without having made provision for a home, either rented or owned. A recent survey of service leavers reported that 12% of departing personnel found significant difficulty in securing suitable housing in their first few months after leaving. While buying a property isn’t easy, service life has some advantages in getting on the property ladder through loans, reduced living costs and the opportunity to save while on exercise or operations. Sadly, the Services’ attitude to pushing its people towards grown up stuff like budgeting and home ownership has traditionally been patchy. Service-provided accommodation is typically 30-50% cheaper than the civilian alternative which reflects, among other things, the size, state & location of the housing and the lack of choice, local amenities and jobs for spouses. Costs for any comparable accommodation plus utilities, council tax and

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Home run

Don’t strike out in the housing game transport are likely to be significantly higher on leaving. As a result you should understand what options are available to you and ‘mend the roof while the sun shines.’ Advice is available from the Joint Services Housing Advice Office (JSHAO), which can guide personnel and dependants through options for civilian housing. They also may, on a case by case basis, support families at risk of homelessness into housing via the MOD Referral Scheme or, for single service leavers, the Single Persons Accommodation Centre for the Ex-Services (SPACES). JSHAO’s focus is on those in their transition window but they can provide advice to personnel at any stage in their career. In addition to JSHAO, each Service has a charitable families’ federation which can provide advice and guidance on housing. For those who wait until they

leave before applying for a mortgage, proof of sustainable earnings may be an issue. The MOD is now encouraging and offering support to personnel looking to buy their own homes

“I COULD HAVE BEEN MORTGAGE-FREE BY NOW, I LOOK BACK ON THAT MISSED OPPORTUNITY AND CURSE MY SHORTSIGHTEDNESS.” while serving; the Forces Help to Buy (FHTB) Scheme, now 1 year into a 3 year run out, offers interest free loans of up to 50% of salary (to a max of £25,000) which can be used in concert with the Government’s more widely available Help to Buy Scheme. During this period the existing Long Service Advance of Pay (LSAP) scheme has been frozen, and a similar scheme is expected to be part of the MOD’s forthcoming New Employment Model (NEM). The MoneyForce website has

full details of FHTB and lots of useful advice and tools around money. If you have limited funds, a family to house and a short time to go before leaving, look into social housing. Local authorities should deal with service leavers in accordance with homelessness law with impending homelessness provable on production of a Certificate of Cessation of Right to Occupy Service Quarters. Able-bodied, single service leavers and married couples with no dependent children are the lowest priority for support. Those with pensions or Early Departure Payments may find themselves caught in the trap of having to afford expensive rental accommodation because they are not ‘in need.’ Local authorities differ in their support for service leavers. A recent audit of local authority provision for service leavers showed 11% as excellent, 16% as good and 73% as minimal, with those areas with fewest service leavers resettling being most prominent in the latter category. There is a strong charitable sector in support of service leavers at risk of homelessness. The English Churches Housing Group (ECHG) run accommodation centres for single personnel in Catterick (The Beacon) and Aldershot (Mike Jackson House) and there is provision elsewhere from organisations like Haig Housing, Alabare and Norcare among others. Despite media scare stories, ex-forces personnel are under-represented in the homeless community. Hindsight is a poor substitute for insight; those readers still serving and in transition are strongly encouraged to log on to MoneyForce and make an appointment for a chat with JSHAO. Hopefully you will be more switched on than I was and can look back in twenty years’ time and smile smugly. May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 13

»Personal development

KEITH TURNBULL

e have all heard of the SWOT analysis in a work type environment. Sure it has value there, but what about your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats? What about using this simple tool to your own pending journey? No one needs to see or read it except you but you will be a major beneficiary of doing a “personal SWOT”. Use the personal SWOT analysis to help you find a job or to move up the career ladder, get that new dream house; indeed, help you plan for anything really. Make a promise to yourself that is clear, that is unyielding, that you are committed to this journey and that you will remain strong and overcome the bumps in the road as you travel. Again, isn’t that exactly what you have all been doing time and time again, throughout your military career? The SWOT is a simple four quadrant layout where, when completed honestly, will allow you to see yourself more clearly and will assist you to determine your next step(s). Its purpose is simple. To help you exploit your strengths, to minimise weaknesses by actively planning them away, take on your opportunities before the window to do so closes and, to have a contingency plan in place to defeat the oncoming threats. Simple. Now let’s get going.

house and location that will bring opportunity. Perhaps it is the upcoming vacancy at your workplace or the qualification that you have recently attained. Either way, opportunities are all around and once on your SWOT you will begin to see the future more easily.

S – Strengths;

List what you consider to be your own strengths and don’t be modest. Pay specific attention to those strengths that you truly believe give you advantage over others. Openly list what makes you better than most, stronger than many. You may be strong under pressure, a solid project manager or possess outstanding confidence. There are so many to choose from and you have gained so much from your career in and out of military life if you just take time to consider this. 14 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

T – Threats;

SWOT up

School yourself in SWOT analysis to ace your career goals W – Weaknesses;

Here you must be brutally honest with yourself. Remember no

“USE THE PERSONAL SWOT ANALYSIS TO HELP YOU FIND A JOB OR TO MOVE UP THE CAREER LADDER, GET THAT NEW DREAM HOUSE; INDEED, HELP YOU PLAN FOR ANYTHING REALLY” one is perfect and knowing your weaknesses can be seen as a sort of strength for you can do something about them. You can rid yourself of them through hard work.

Weaknesses should be those things that could impact on your future career and remember to only list relevant weaknesses not those that have nothing to do with current or future work aspirations.

O – Opportunities;

You may at this point think you don’t have any. You may think that everyone else gets them. If so, perhaps you want to consider this glass half empty attitude as a weakness to be addressed? If not, and you can see the positives and “opportunities” that are all around then great. Get writing. Perhaps it is the new

These are external events or people that may have a negative impact on your future career. Threats are obstacles that need to be planned for and tackled. I suggest that this is something the military professional does well and often so don’t be afraid to list threats. You will know what to do to defeat them or at worst move around them and remain on course. These could simply be a departmental downsizing or an uncooperative worker. Here again, both those aspects will be something you have faced before and overcome so you must do so again. Personal SWOT done. Remember that the list / items will change and evolve as you overcome threats, minimise weaknesses, take on the opportunities and exploit your strengths to the world. To make the most of your SWOT, assign short term goals to those items that can be achieved within say three months, and longer term ones to those that will take more time and effort. Once you see the strengths grow and the opportunities appear, and they will with effort, all things around you will start to look and feel different and much more positive. Keith has managed large international sales and marketing teams for over 25 years. He has spent time in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, working within the Ministry of Defence and has conducted hundreds of Career Transition workshops. Now a business and leadership coach, contact him at keith@ktaluk.com Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Who’s Who? Meet key players in your job search

hroughout your job search, you’ll come into contact with a number of people, all of whom play different roles, as you journey along the pathway to your dream job.

■■ The Candidate – YOU! ■■ The Recruiter ■■ The Employer/ HR Manager ■■ The Line Manager

In your quest to be seen as the ideal candidate, it’s crucial that you understand what each of them need and how best to get their attention. They’ll all want to know the answer to three key questions:

■■ Will you do the job? ■■ Can you do the job? ■■ Will you fit into the team/ organisation?

THE RECRUITER: Meet Shirley, who sees 200-300 CVs each week. Shirley needs to fill vacancies to earn money. Shirley’s client (The Employer) will only pay her if she finds the right candidate to fit their very specific brief. They usually have to stay in the role for minimum period of time, often 3 months, and perform well enough to pass their probation before the 16 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

employer will part with Shirley’s commission. Shirley has about 20 seconds to look at a CV and decide if she’s impressed, so she likes neat CVs where the information can be easily found. She has little patience for poor spelling and grammar. Shirley doesn’t have time to read about all of the skills you have and trawl through a long list of qualifications to find out if your have the ones Dave is looking for – she only wants to see what’s relevant to the job. And she doesn’t merely want a list of skills and qualifications, she wants evidence of where you have used those skills before and what you have achieved. She loves numbers, so tell her how many people you worked with or managed and how much money you made/saved the company or by how much you exceeded your targets. Make sure the content is relevant to the job you are applying for – no more, no less. If it’s not, leave it out. Skip the clichés such as “highly motivated, experienced individual” - she’s seen it all before, a million times. She isn’t very familiar with military terminology/rank and doesn’t know her WO2s from her SLRs so you have to write it so she will understand. If she likes what she sees in your CV Shirley may want to conduct an interview – either face to face or by phone/Skype. This is your first chance to shine. Build rapport, be nice to her. You need her on your side, but never forget she works for the client not you.

THE EMPLOYER/ HR MANAGER: Dave is the HR Manager at a large company with a

600-strong workforce and a very busy man. He only wants to know about the best possible candidates for the role. He will only interview the very best of the bunch – if they meet his specific criteria. Is that you? Maybe, as long as you impressed Shirley first and clearly showed her that you have the skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications to meet Dave’s high demands. If Shirley was impressed with your first interview and you’re selected to go through to the next round of interviews, it’s Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»CV assistance

Sian Richardson

Founder & Career Transition Expert, Career Master 4 Military Sian is a former military spouse with firsthand experience of military-to-civilian career transition. Before establishing Career Master 4 Military, Sian spent 20 years with a FTSE 100 company and left after being headhunted by the chairman of a national financial services organisation to manage his UK operation. Having managed HR and trained as a specialist recruiter, Sian has hired personnel at all levels. Email: MyCV@ careermaster-cvs.co.uk

likely that this will be with him and/or a member of his recruiting team face to face. There are lots of different types of interview: one to one, panel interviews, assessment centres, but at this stage, Interviews with HR Managers tend to be formal and often competency-based interviews. Dave will be looking for evidence of how you meet the criteria he set, examples of when you’ve done similar work, how you demonstrate particular competencies and how you present yourself. Will you do the job? Can you do the job? Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

THE LINE MANAGER /TEAM LEADER: This is the person who is highly likely to have the final say and make the decision to offer the position to the successful can-

didate. Let’s call her Julie. Julie will be interested in your abilities, be able to ask you questions about the technical aspects of the role and ascertain if and how you’d fit into their team and stay long term. Sometimes the Line Manager will be part of the interview panel but if you get this far, it’s highly likely you’ve been shortlisted to the last few candidates, all of whom are very strong contenders, and the Line Manager has to choose which one he’d like to work with. Building rapport with Julie, get

on with her, empathise, ask about the type of person she’d most like to work with and show her that’s you! Good Luck!

A RECRUITE MAY SEE 200R300 CVS PER WEEK

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 17

After the Army A family shares their experience of transiton

18 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

en and Paul Moore are married with two children: three year old Macey and newborn Harry. During his seven years in the Army with the Royal Signals, Paul was based at York and later Stafford, but was often abroad. Jen stayed in Scotland with her family and the couple saw each other during visits. Now settled in civilian life in their family home in Erskine, Jen and Paul share their thoughts on transition.

What do you look back on about Army life and think, “I enjoyed that?” Any fond memories? Q

Jen: I liked visiting and travelling. Paul: I liked the travel. I got sent to Iraq which was an experience - an interesting country. I also got sent to Afghanistan. There’s definitely stuff I miss the banter with the guys and cameraderie. But I don’t miss the job to be honest. I was an Information Systems Engineer. Now my job is a lot better! It’s

totally different. Q

Was Army life what you expected?

Jen: We’d only started going out in November and he went away in the January. I always knew he wanted to go, and I think that was probably best. I never knew anything different. I got used to it really quickly: Monday to Friday being by myself and he came home on a Friday. Paul: I always wanted to join the army. It took me 3 years to get in, it was hard because I have a muscle wasting syndrome which means I don’t have muscle down one side of my chest, and at first they considered me medically disabled. But I was able to go through the preparation to get in.

Macey was born while Paul was in the Army – what was that like? Q

Jen: It was so, so hard. I found out I was pregnant while he was travelling to Afghan and I Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Family life

couldn’t get in touch with him for 3 or 4 days. He probably got the shock of his life when he phoned me back! When Macey was born he got about 6 weeks off. But after that he was away so much. He barely got to see Macey after that. He was a part of a lot of exercises, he was off to California for 5 months etc. It was heartbreaking. I contacted the Army when he was in California. Macey was about a year old. I phoned and said “you need to send him home!” They did, thankfully.

much family support here.

Looking back, how would you say your transition went? Q

Paul: I found it easy. I know a lot of people say it is really hard. I have friends who came out the same time as me. They wanted to join back in. But I found it easy. I used my ELCAS, Standard Learning Credits, I got my rope access ticket out of it and my offshore ticket. I paid about 1500 myself then they did the rest. Now I work in Longannet power station doing rope access which is working at heights. I’m getting sent to the Orkney ones this week as well on the windfarms.

Tell us what it’s been like having your new baby Harry: Q

Jen: He’s home every night! Paul missed out on loads with Macey. It’ll be so different with Harry. Paul: I did miss out on so much with Macey. Don’t get me wrong, we had Skype. Even when I was in Afghan we used Skype all the time. But it’s not the same. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Do you think the forces prepared you for your job now? Q

What advice would you give to a military spouse? Q

Paul: Live together! It’s easier if you are together. If not, it’s a sin-

gle man’s life. Jen: Yes it would be easier to be together. I think I was probably selfish, right from the beginning I didn’t want to move. I have so

Paul: It’s totally different. Maybe the discipline and things like that. I can’t stand being late! Jen: (laughs) you like to be half an hour early for work! I can’t stand being late either... but somehow I always am. May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 19

A Brush with

success Soldier and painter Richard Salter triumphs in the BBC Big Painting Challenge

n a search for Britain’s best amateur painting talent, the BBC Big Painting Challenge found a gem in the British Army who placed in the top four of the competition. Sergeant Richard Salter, 35, found his love of art came when he was quite young and was

the years. Sergeant Salter, who lives and works in Wiltshire, said of the filming of the BBC competition: “I really struggled with the challenges mainly because of the time factor. The shortest one was 30 minutes – to me that’s a study – and even the paintings were only a few hours long. I’m an artist who will

make a lot of sketches, lots of pictures and slowly build up a work over weeks and months. It’s such a personal thing; all artists see things in a different light. It was stressful at times, all artists are passionate about their work and criticism is tough - but it was a really good experience.” He joined the Army straight

inspired by his grandmother who was a portrait painter. Despite doing an exam at school, it was in his 20’s when his wife bought him a sketch book that he caught the bug again. He subsequently undertook an Open University BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art and since then has trained hard and won a few competitions over

20 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Veteran of note

from school at 16 and admits that combining the mentality required for Army life and art has created an interesting challenge for him over the years. “The military is disciplined, regimented and in straight lines, and art is opposite to army life. I’ve learnt precision for draughting images but then needed to release my creative

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

side and let my mind run wild and what I’m feeling.” His career as a Signaller has seen him complete two tours of Bosnia and one in Afghanistan. On tour in Helmand he was inspired to paint after seeing the local youngsters. “I like to explore an idea, emotion or experience and paint it so it comes across for

the viewer. It was when I saw the young children and the things they don’t have, you think what if it was your kids, so I think that comes through in my work. I see my job as an artist observing, seeing a message you would not normally see, painting that and trying to get that across - just a bit more than a photo could actually do.”

Richard, is married to Vicky, 34, and has three children – Libby, 11, Ethan, 14, and Corrie 17, who has followed his dad and joined the Army. In a recent still life he captured and showed the emotion of the impact of his Army career on family life. In it he featured his daughter’s teddy and a sandbag and military objects.

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 21

Are you an Armed Forces technician? Have you delivered exceptional engineering, or made an outstanding contribution to a project? You could be the IET Armed Forces Technician of the Year 2015 Open to: Armed Forces Technicians who are current serving members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces.

Prize: The prize will consist of a trophy, certificate, ÂŁ1,000 cash and two years free membership of the IET and technician professional registration application fee.

How to apply: To apply, please complete the online application form found on our website www.iet.org/apprentice-awards

Apply now! Deadline: 29 May 2015 @IETAwards / #IETApprenticeAwards

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Sponsor of the IET Achievement Awards

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is working to engineer a better world. We inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community, supporting technology innovation to meet the needs of society. The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No. 211014) and Scotland (No. SCO38698).

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Quiz:

Do you have what it takes? See if a start up is a smart move for you By Ren Kapur

your new ideas?

n 2013 we started X-Forces to help Service leavers, reservists, veterans, their partners and families start their own businesses. We have helped over 320 businesses launch. Being an entrepreneur and business owner is incredibly rewarding. It is also very hard work. I started my first business when I was 18, and have considered these questions whenever I am looking at new business ideas. They have helped me to understand where my strengths lie and what kind of support is important to build into my business. Take this quiz to help you understand if starting your own business is right for you! For a free assessment send your answers to X-Forces at: emma.laws@x-forces.com

Would you Q describe yourself as an ‘ideas person’?

a) Yes—I always have a list of ideas that I am thinking about. b) I have the odd flash of inspiration, but don’t tend to dwell on it. c) Not really—I don’t like to be distracted from the job in hand.

How often do you talk to friends and family about Q

24 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

a) Regularly. b) From time to time, when something particularly interests me. c) Never.

How do you think your friends and family would react if you were to start your own business? Q

a) Positively—from the evidence of my past successes they will feel confident in my business abilities. b) Apprehensively—I’ve talked about setting up on my own a lot but haven’t ever done anything about it. c) Negatively—I’ve never mentioned it before, so it will come as a complete surprise. Q

How persistent are you?

a) I’m ready to try many new approaches until I have a successful outcome. b) I keep trying, but I do get discouraged. c) I’m easily discouraged, and don’t like to feel I’m ‘pestering’ people.

How do you enjoy working with people? Q

a) Very much—I like to get to know as many people as possible. b) I enjoy spending time with certain people, but don’t make an effort with everyone. c) I prefer to work alone and concentrate on doing my job.

How do you feel about taking risks?

a) I thrive on risk-taking—I find it exciting and stimulating. b) I will take the odd risk, but on the whole prefer to be confident about the outcome of my actions. c) I dislike not knowing what will come of the choices I make—I don’t take risks.

How many of the following attributes do you consider yourself to have: dedication, persistence, drive, stamina, intuition, courage, positive outlook, good communication skills, good ‘people’ skills, ambition, pragmatism, adaptability, financial savvy, energy, self-awareness? Q

a) 11-15 b) 6-10 c) 1-5

How do you view your business or your business idea? Q

a) As a long-term source of income. b) As an investment, to sell as soon as possible, for a profit. c) As a way of escaping my current job.

How well can you cope with financial matters? Q

a) I have quite a lot of experience and am confident

when working with figures. b) I have some experience, but some terms confuse me. c) I don’t know where to start.

How do you react to advice or complaints? Q

a) I see negative feedback as an opportunity to change plans and ideas for the better. b) I do listen to and remember complaints and advice, but don’t tend to act c) I prefer to follow my own plans, and don’t like others to interfere—no-one knows my business like I do.

How do you rate your people-management skills? Q

a) I think they’re good. I can usually sense how people are feeling and react appropriately. b) They’re not too bad. I generally get on well with most people, but I feel I lose touch from time to time. c) They could be better. I often find it hard to connect with others.

How do you organise yourself when you have a lot on? Q

a) I prioritise tasks and build in extra time if I can. b) I get through everything in the end, but I tend to underestimate how long things will take. c) I work all night if I have to.

Send your results to emma.laws@x-forces.com

ÂťEnterprise

If you want to know more about setting up a business, contact Ren Kapur or Mike Mackenzie at X-Forces. www.x-forces.com 0207 811 3236

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 25

Stop giving your transition ‘lip service’

Tips for being proactive in your career search f you are coming up to the last phase of your transition from the military, or seeking a new role on civvy street, spare five minutes to read this. It may transform how you conduct your job search, rather than paying lip service to one of the most important times in your life. Let’s start with an example. Last week a job candidate and profile holder on the BFRS system applied for a job vacancy. A consultant attempted to call them from the details on their CV, but the number was not in service. After checking the online profile, a different number was visible, but although called, a message could not be left. Three days later, the candidate called the office complaining they had not been contacted for the role they made an application for! At BFRS we have a great platform for those seeking work to create a professional job seekers profile - but as a member, have you? Do you know that you can sign up to the BFRS website totally free of charge, and construct a great profile? Take on board the following tips and

“ONLY A LUCKY FEW WILL HAVE EVERYTHING SERVED ON A SILVER PLATTER, THE REST OF US HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE!” transform how you manage your profiles, not only at BFRS but across all your online accounts. BFRS profiles have an option to upload a photo, and it is important that you keep this photo updated. Upload a quality head shot, don’t make it your last night out in Medicine Hat! Your profile has the function to choose 3 Career Preferences geared towards the industry sectors you are seeking work in and that your profile / keywords best represent. As with all great profiles – the summary 26 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

is about YOU and unless you are searching something very specific, ensure this is as generic and informative as possible. Provide recruiters with a “Location Preference”, although it may be beneficial to mention that you are willing to relocate if you are. A great tip is to generate a list of keywords, the type people could use if they wanted to search you. If you’re an IT consultant, maybe those words are “IT,” “consultant” and “technology consultant.” Then revisit each field in your profile and restructure it so you are frequently using keywords or phrases that best relate to your main skills and are comparable to the type of role you would like. Be sure to complete all parts of your profile as thoroughly as possible, especially your summary and your work experience. As a member of BFRS you can actually generate your own personal QR code. Use your generated QR code to advertise your profile; you can use it on business cards or your CV as well. Remember we are trying to help you market you to

potential employers! We understand that you often need more than one CV, which is why here at BFRS you can actually upload 3 CVs, i.e. a management CV, a technical CV (trade) and a generic CV. Should you be unsure, start with uploading your generic CV and this can be tailored for each different application where necessary. Whenever you speak to a career consultant or a recruiter, they always stress how important it is to track your applications, and to help you do that at BFRS, your profile automatically does that for you.This will help you prepare for a successful selection and maybe initial phone interview when contacted. You have read this through, which means you understand the importance of your transition or job seeking activities. Just remember, only a lucky few will have everything served on a silver platter, the rest of us have to take control of our future! Visit BFRS now at www.bfrss.org.uk to sign up if you haven’t already! Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťOur partners

BFRS Partner Focus: Oak Tree

Transitional Qualifications for YOUR new Career ooking to maximise your funding opportunities for training and secure yourself the best opportunities for your future career? Look no further. Our dedicated team at Oak Tree can prepare you for success. As an Approved Learning Provider for the ELC and CTP Schemes, with our international reputation for our learning solutions, we provide the highest quality resettlement blended, classroom and e-learning training packages, to ensure that you make the most effective and efficient transition to your new career. We have created accredited training course packages enabling you to gain both internationally and nationally recognised training qualifications, including ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management), NEBOSH, IOSH and IRCA. Why Choose Oak Tree as your resettlement training provider? We are one of the largest and few training companies that offer you approved ELC 4687 and CTP course packages. This means that

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we offer you more than one course for your current allocation of Enhanced Learning Credits, providing you with the opportunity to maximise your allowance in any one financial year. We have over 30 discounted course Packages including: NEBOSH National General Certificate, Fire and Risk, Environment Management, Construction, IOSH, IRCA-Auditor, Leadership & Management-ILM, Project Management , CTP Personal and MS IT courses. Our team at Oak Tree has the experience and professionalism to help you gain internationally recognised qualifications, giving you invaluable practical guidance and real work-life experiences. These qualifications are relevant to the current employment market place and will enable you to compete from day one of your completion. The courses are learner-centred, challenging and enjoyable. They offer flexibility as they are offered at a range of UK locations on a regular basis. A creative environment exists with our trainers utilising delegateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-course forms to identify specific areas of

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Events diary 14th May 2015

North Yorkshire Military Community Career Fair

2nd Jul 2015

Gloucestershire Military Community Career Fair

10th Sep 2015

Tidworth Military Community Career Fair

15th Oct 2015

North yorkshire Military Community Career fair

February May 2015 || EQUIPPED | 27

»Our partners

International (first) aid After 20 years in the Army, NUCO trained Robert McEwan to deliver first aid training and qualifications at home and abroad ack in January 2013 I was on tranche 3 of the redundancy list of the army cuts. It was a shock: the army was all I had known for 20 years and I’d joined at18. In my final year I was posted to RAF St Mawgan Defence Sere Training organization (DSTO) as a survival instructor in Cornwall. I had two options; wait until June to find out if I was selected for compulsory redundancy and be out the following year, or volunteer for redundancy and get just 6 months to find a new career path. I chose the latter, to just take the bull by the horns! There was only one problem: what was I going to do?! I connected with old pals who had gotten out previously and got the lay of the civilian land. There was a lot of confusing advice. Some guys had just decided for the easy life doing mundane jobs, while another extreme was guys who had emigrated abroad for big opportunties. I certainly was not ready for the mundane easy low pay jobs (not yet anyway) but I wasn’t sure about moving abroad either. I attended a C.T.W. where someone said

28 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

to me ”First aid and Health & Safety is where the money is and it’s only going to get bigger.” It was a eureka moment. I decided to go down that path and get myself qualified before my discharge. I found NUCO Training after they were recommended by other guys within DSTO who had qualified. I gave them a ring and booked on their First Aid at Work instructor course in Portsmouth. The more I spoke about my resettlement plans the more people I found who had done training with NUCO which gave me confidence. NUCO made the process of using my ELC painless, as at the time I didn’t really know the procedure. NUCO’s Head Office turned out to be in St Austell, only 10 minutes from me. As a newly qualified instructor I was invited to pop round for a coffee and have chat about how we could support each other in running future courses. Before I knew it, I had an offer to work as a lead trainer for NUCO - running the exact same instructor courses that I attended. They trained me to their standard and before I knew it I was up and down the country delivering five day instructor courses back to back. I was so

busy I had to turn other work away! This led to a fantastic job abroad in the security industry for me. I have been running courses out in Libya and Iraq, training and certifying local national staff and oil & gas workers alike in the First Aid at Work syllabus in order for them to be compliant for their respective companies. It is big business. Not only am I working in the security industry, I am certifying people within it, and with NUCO’s ongoing support I can confidently deliver training anywhere. which makes me valuable to my employers and helps me stand out compared to the next man. NUCO has been outstanding with support, assisting me when out in these countries, giving me everything from certification, online support, company logos on certificates- the list goes on. Undecided on what to do and what colours to nail to the mast? I would seriously consider giving NUCO a call and do what I did, as First Aid and Health & Safety training is always going to be in demand. Having the ability to run courses, the ability to certify your training is like gold dust! For me it was even covered with an ELC claim. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Tim Collins On transition, teamwork and THAT speech By Jacquie McGeoch

ou hear the term “larger than life” used a lot, but few people live up to it like Colonel Tim Collins (Rtd) OBE. Collins was propelled into international recognition when, as Lieutenant Colonel (Commanding Officer) of the 1st Btattalion, Royal Irish Regiment of the British Army, he gave a rousing eve-of-battle speech to his troops in Kuwait. With phrases like “we go to liberate, not to conquer” and “if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory,” the speech has gone down in modern history for its inspiring message. Collins conveyed respect for the Iraqi people and culture, gave meaning to the difficult battle ahead and shone a light on a future worth fighting for. Few people can boast that Kenneth Branagh portrayed them on screen, or that a copy of their speech reportedly graced the wall of the White

30 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

From an early age you wanted to join the army, why was this?

House Oval Office. Yet the straight-talking Collins is anything but boastful about it, and reveals that his celebrated speech wasn’t even written down before it was delivered! For more of that off-the-cuff charm we all admire, Jacquie McGeoch caught up with the eminent “soldier-thinker” for an Equipped exclusive.

Well, I had family in the army and it was a lifestyle which attracted me, it seemed like something I would have enjoyed – and I did. I was of course in the cadets which really just sent me on my way.

Tim, first of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your time in the military?

How did you find your transition - was it difficult to go back onto civilian life?

I retired in 2004 from the Army as Colonel – I commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment during the second Gulf War. I spent a great deal of my career with the Special Air Service, joining as Troop commander in 1988 and serving during the first Gulf War amongst other things.

Tim Collins

Q A

I was really too busy to find it hard as such. [When departing] I had to move fast as I had a family of 5 children and had to get a house together amongst other things. I had to move quickly. A

Last year Lord Ashcroft published the Veterans Transition Review – what’s your opinion of the review and are the Government doing enough to support the armed forces community? Q

I think that given the number of conflicts there’s been recently, the Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»On the cover for a long time also. Then the crucial charities which we can’t look away from the 3 bodyguards as I call them, Combat Stress for the mentally scarred, Blesma for those missing limbs, Dunstons for the blind (now Blind Veterans).

On the business side of Q things, do military values align well within the corporate world?

Well I suppose yes when it comes to my particular business (New Century Consulting). We’re in the business of helping clients establish police forces in the military, worldwide. I’m harvesting the skills that I already have that are essential to me - but I think that the discipline that military individuals bring to this world are important, things like not having to be supervised etc. Where I’m coming from, we were more of a clan than a regiment, so with what I do now it’s very much having colleagues rather than employees. It’s that thing of working together. A

In the Military you have the Colonel Boyd Cycle, do you think that can be transferred into the business world? Q

I think it is essential. I think business after a fashion does that. The difficulty is if you go to any THE SPEECH? airport or bus station “TO BE HONEST I you’ll see racks of books DIDN’T GIVE IT A groaning with business SECOND know-how. A lot of these Armed Forces do need THOUGHT, IT so called gurus take very special attention, in parWASN’T WRITTEN simple concepts and make ticular with regard to the DOWN!” them hideously complicatamount of injuries that ed and confuse things. If we people are bringing back, look back to the military you both physical and mental. can actually see it in its pure form...the There is more help needed. facets of business leadership that are required in industry already exist right There are many organisaQ there in the Army. tions at the moment A

supporting the Armed Forces Community, do you think anything can be done to make them more regulated and bring some sort of cohesion?

I do think there is the need for A someone to pull together the number of organisations that are working for servicemen and women. I think that we need someone in uniform - probably Vicechief of the Defence Staff - to help pull things together on behalf of servicemen and women. Some of the most important charities are the ones that have been around the longest, like the SSAFA who have been around for 125 odd years, and the British Legion who have been around Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

How do you feel about the defence cuts - the new Super Regiments, for example? Q

Well with regards to the Super Regiments I prefer for people to call things what they are: this is not about making things better, this is about making it easier to cut. The Super Regiments were all about reduction and we all knew that. My message to politicians is we’re not stupid don’t play us along with this “bigger and better” nonsense. We knew it was there to be cut. Ultimately the United Kingdom has to decide where it wants to stand in the world. Does it want to be a global trading nation with interests across the globe and A

therefore an expeditionary Army, or does it want to be a small European country on the fringe with part of the European preparedness - which is essentially a form of aggressive camping?

You have slept on the streets to highlight the plight of homeless veterans, how did that make you feel seeing ex-military struggling to cope? Q

The reality is, there is very few military on the streets and when they’re on the streets they’re not there for very long because the British Legion and SSAFA tend to pick them up. There are some who go repeatedly back on the streets and fall out of care. Generally speaking these people will not have long to live; they are usually in the grip of severe chemical usage - either drink or drugs - and by and large I would say 95-100% of people who end up on the street are in that category. The rumour that circulated a few years ago was within a mile of Nelsons column there was a 1,000 homeless servicemen, and that was simply not true. A

Do you feel that when anyone leaves the Armed Forces they fall into a disadvantaged community or do you think that’s just the minority? Q

It is the minority, by and large people leave the Armed Forces better off. Look at people like Kriss Akabusi who left a children’s home aged 16 ½ joined the Army to have somewhere to sleep and to eat, and because he joined he went on to become a world champion athlete. A

Your ‘Eve of battle speech’ did you realise the impact it would have at the time? Q A

To be honest I didn’t give it a second thought, it wasn’t written down!

What advice would you give to those making the transition? Q

The first thing I’d say is don’t panic. Do your homework and understand that there is a very willing world out there. The other thing is whatever you’re doing at the point you leave the army, you won’t be doing in 18 months, you’ll be doing something far better. Do your best at whatever it is your doing but be aware your real calling will find you - listen out for it. A

Would you change anything about your time in the Forces? Q

No, I was very lucky. The thing about Army careers is just enjoy them, don’t worry too hard about it, it’ll be fine. A

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 31

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»Housing

HOUSING

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P.36

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Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

P.44

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 35

Find your way home

Navigating your housing options? The Joint Service Housing Advice Office is your first stop on the journey. This month they collaborated with Equipped to provide you with this handy guide to their service. What is the Joint Service Housing Advice Office (JSHAO)?

JSHAO will always offer advice to those personnel leaving the Service we also recognise the need to deliver civilian housing The JSHAO provides specialist housing advice throughout an individual’s Service information and advice to encourage career. This through-career advice will Service personnel and their families to mean that, regardless of the point in their consider their civilian housing options. career that they decide to make the transiEstablished in 1992, the JSHAO was tion from service to civilian formed as it was recognised that many accommodation, individuals will have the personnel were leaving the Services with background knowledge that will allow little or no understanding of the civilian them to make informed decisions as well as housing options available to them and the having the JSHAO on hand to offer further differing financial implications when advice if required. occupying civilian housing compared to It may be that you don’t have an immeService accommodation. Many personnel diate civilian housing need, however, the were leaving the Service and being peculiarities of Service life make it diffideclared homeless. There is a misconcepcult to know what is around the corner. If tion that this issue only affected those you, or any of your friends, colleagues or who ended up as rough sleepers but, in subordinates find that you subsequently truth, personnel with 20-30 years expeneed to look at that transition to rience, including those with civilian housing it is important young families, were approachthat you are aware of who the ing the end of their Service JSHAO has with no clear idea of their offered civilian JSHAO are, and what they can future housing plans. housing advice do to help. Since its inception the to thousands of JSHAO has offered civilian Housing Briefings personnel housing advice to thousands of JSHAO deliver Civilian personnel. Although of lot of the Housing Briefings at Regional work undertaken is directed at those Resettlement Centres in the UK and approaching the end of their Service it is Education Centres in Germany, and acknowledged that an earlier intervention Cyprus. These briefs are designed to give may reduce the numbers of personnel still you the information to help you make occupying Service accommodation as they informed choices on your civilian housing. approach their discharge date. Whilst the The briefings cover the following areas: 36 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

■■ Understanding your housing need ■■ House Purchase (including Forces Help to Buy) ■■ Affordable Home Ownership Schemes ■■ Private Rental ■■ Social Housing ■■ Independent Financial Advice

These briefings are predominantly attended by personnel in the last 2 years of Service, however, it is recognised that the information available at these briefings will be of use to anyone considering their civilian housing options, therefore any Service personnel can attend. Spouses/Partners are also welcome at these briefings. The dates of the briefings are widely advertised on Units and details are available from Unit Welfare staff or by contacting the JSHAO. In addition to these individual briefings the team deliver briefs to Unit Welfare/Community Support staff in order to raise awareness of support available from the JSHAO.

The MoD Referral Scheme

The MoD referral scheme is managed by the JSHAO. The aim of the scheme is to identify Service leavers, their housing needs, as well as the preferred area in which they would like a property. These personnel will then be notified when the JSHAO are made aware of the availability of Social Housing that suits their individuals needs. The scheme is Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťHousing entirely dependant on Housing Associations notifying the JSHAO of suitable vacant properties and the scheme co-ordinator within JSHAO is in constant communication with these Housing Associations in an effort to increase the amount of properties made available to Service leavers. This scheme may be able to help you if you are looking for Social Housing on leaving the Service. Applications can be made up to 6 months before your date of discharge to the JSHAO; you will then be contacted if a suitable property becomes available in your chosen area. There is no guarantee that accommodation will become available in your chosen area, or that applicants will be housed through the scheme. For more information and an application form, call the JSHAO and ask to speak to the MoD Referral Scheme Coordinator.

Affordable Housing Schemes

There are a range of Affordable Housing Schemes throughout the UK that can help people on to the property ladder. These schemes were introduced to bridge the gap between the full price of a property and the available mortgage. Service Personnel (and ex service personnel within 12 months of discharge) have priority status with regard to government affordable housing initiatives (excluding Northern Ireland). Schemes include Forces Help to Buy, shared ownership, shared equity loans and the mortgage guarantee scheme. For more detailed information on all current government housing schemes and MoD funded initiatives, please contact JSHAO.

Housing Matters Magazine

Ten months a year the JSHAO produces the Housing Matters magazine which has a worldwide distribution of 10,000 copies per month. Each month the magazine focuses on a particular region within the UK, it also contains information and articles designed to help you when you are considering your civilian housing options. Copies should be easily available within your Unit or if you want your own copy call the JSHAO. Previous editions of the magazine are also available on the internet: www.gov.uk/government/collections/ housing-matters-magazine

Single Person Accommodation Centre for the Ex-Services â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SPACES

If you are single and about to be discharged SPACES may be able to help you find somewhere to live, they are a housing placement service for single personnel. SPACES is Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

tasked by the MoD to help assist single Service Leavers to find suitable housing, they work with all Service Personnel regardless of rank and length of service, in addition they make all referrals to the supported accommodation for single personnel available at The Beacon in Catterick and Mike Jackson House in Aldershot.

Useful contact information

SPACES The Beacon, SPACES Office Marne Road Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire, DL9 3AU Tel: 01748 833797 or 830191 Email: spaces@ riverside.org.uk www.spaces.org. uk/spaces/spaces Joint Service Housing Advice Office Civ: 01252 787574 | Mil: 94222 7574 AWS-JSHAOMailbox@mod.uk

This article was printed with permission from the Joint Housing Advice Office

Are you looking to buy your first home? Service Personnel are top priority for Help to Buy, so what are you waiting for? Contact Help to Buy Midlands today to find out more. www.helptobuymidlands.co.uk 03458 50 20 50 option 2. May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 37

GET INTO TEACHING The Troops to Teachers non-graduate programme is a great opportunity for eligible Service leavers to become primary or secondary teachers, gaining a University of Brighton degree and earning a salary whilst training. This employment-based programme matches you with a school in your home location for two years of training, supporting you through intensive study weeks and weekly web based university studies. Develop your unique knowledge and experience and graduate ready to inspire the next generation.

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new pilot scheme designed to help you get on the property ladder launched on 1 April 2014 and will run for three years. During this time the Long Service Advance of Pay (LSAP) scheme will be frozen. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply. We set out the basics here but for more detailed information refer to policy JSP 464.

40 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

What is the FHTB Scheme?

■■ You will be able to borrow up to 50% of your salary and any recruitment and retention pay (formerly Specialist Pay) up to a maximum of £25,000. ■■ The FHTB loan is interest free and is to be repaid over ten years. ■■ FHTB is available to Regular personnel to buy their first home or move to a new location (more than 50 miles from their current property), although there may be

some exceptions to this. ■■ Most mainstream mortgage providers accept FHTB, but you should first check with your proposed lender before progressing any formal mortgage application. ■■ Approval for FHTB is no guarantee that a mortgage lender will advance a mortgage.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible personnel must fulfill the following criteria: ■■ Be in Regular service. ■■ Those serving in the Naval Service must have been accepted onto trained strength, ie in a complement billet. ■■ Army and RAF personnel must have completed two years service from the date of enlistment and be on the trained strength i.e. completed Phase 2 training. ■■ Have at least six months left to serve at the time of application ■■ In the last twelve months, not have owned a property within 50 miles of the

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»Housing Useful contacts: Homes and Communities Agency https://www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/homes-andcommunities-agency mail@homesandcommunities.co.uk 0300 1234 500 Joint Service Housing Advice Office (JSHAO) https://www.gov.uk/housing-forservice-personnel-and-families aws-jshao-mailbox@mod.uk 0800 3287641 Veterans UK https://www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/veterans-uk veterans-uk@mod.uk 0808 1914 2 18 (UK) +44 1253 866 043 (from overseas)

MoneyForce MoneyForce is the home of money guidance for UK Service people. A joint initiative between Standard Life Charitable Trust, The Royal British Legion and the Ministry of Defence, the MoneyForce website aims to assist all Service personnel, their partners, families and dependants, to be better equipped to manage their money and financial affairs. www.moneyforce.org.uk

proposed house purchase (although there may be some exceptions to this). ■■ If you are leaving the Service as a result of Tranche 4 redundancy you will qualify for a separate scheme, known as Tranche 4 FHTB, which launched on 12 June 2014.

How to apply

To apply for FHTB you must complete the application form on JPA. If accepted, you can be given a Personal Information Note by the MoD as evidence of your FHTB advance before seeking a mortgage offer. Payment of the FHTB amount is made by BACS direct to your legal representative, who must apply for the funds at least 10 working days before the property completion date.

What happens to the LSAP scheme?

During the FHTB pilot the LSAP scheme will be frozen. If you have LSAP you will Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

continue to make your normal monthly payments but you can apply to extend your loan to the FHTB limit if you are moving home and are eligible under the new rules. In these circumstances your LSAP loan amount will be consolidated into one arrangement under the FHTB scheme.

Can I still apply for Service accommodation?

If you buy a property using funds from the FHTB scheme and the property is within 50 miles of your current assignment location then you will not be eligible for either SFA or SLA during your current assignment. If you already know your next assignment (starting within 6 months) and you choose to buy a home within 50 miles of there, you will also not be eligible for either SFA or SLA there. You may choose to buy a property more than 50 miles from your current assignment location (or next location, if you already know what it is and it starts within 6 months). In this case your family will

have to live in that property in the first instance – you will be eligible to use SLA (or SSSA) but not SFA for that assignment. After buying your property, if your next assignment is more than 50 miles from your purchased home, your entitlement to SLA and SFA is reinstated. If any subsequent assignment takes you to within 50 miles of the location of your purchased property your entitlement to SLA and SFA will be relinquished and you will be required to live in your own property.

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Moving home checklist Use this handy guide to help make moving day as stress free as possible

fresh start in your new home is incredibly exciting, so being organised and using forward planning are invaluable in making one of life’s most stressful events run more smoothly. Our guide to moving home highlights everything that you need to know!

Six weeks before the move, or as early as possible

Confirm your moving date with your solicitor / estate agent. It is worth considering that mid-week dates are often quieter than Friday’s and bank holidays making securing the removal company of your choice easier. Order new furniture as they can often have long lead times. Request quotes from the removal company. Get recommendations from friends or relatives or alternatively visit the British Association of Removers. Having the removal company do the packing for you is more costly but it also makes moving day run much more smoothly and is less stressful. You could also consider man and van quotes or speaking to family and friends and hiring a van to do it yourself. Get in touch with schools and nurseries in the area to ensure that you register children as early as possible. You’ll also need to consider ordering new uniforms etc. Start to have a clear out. Auction, sell, donate, recycle, freecycle anything 42 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

that you don’t need. It is costly to take things with you that you no longer need or want.

Four weeks to go

Order packing materials – it’s never too early to start packing especially non-essential items such as books and non-seasonal clothes etc. One of the biggest mistakes people make is leaving it too late to pack resulting in frayed nerves and broken items when things are rushed at the end. Start to contact people to tell them you are moving. Make sure to use our handy who to tell you are moving checklist. Ensure that you are insured! This can either be arranged through your own home insurance or may be available through your removal company. You should also consider insurance for your new property. You will likely be required to have buildings insurance as a requirement of your mortgage, but you need to make sure that your contents are insured also. Your mortgage adviser can help you with this. Organise for someone to look after your kids and/or pets. It will make for a much less stressful day if you know your loved ones are being well cared for and you don’t have to worry about them escaping out the door on your moving day.

Two weeks to go Re-direct your mail.

Make sure your friends and relatives have your new address. De-register with your doctor, dentist, vet, optician and any other local services if you are moving out of the area and register with a new one in the area where your new home is located. Remember to cancel window cleaners, gardeners, newspapers etc. Create a file of key documents to hand over to the people who will be moving in to your old home. Include instruction leaflets, information on heating systems and appliances, details of rubbish collections and recycling schemes. Round up all of the keys to your home. Make sure you get them from all friends, family and neighbours and discuss passing these to your solicitor.

One week to go

Confirm the arrival times with your moving company and make sure that the movers have details of your new address in advance. You should be progressing well with your packing. If not, be sure to start now! Use a colour coding system on your boxes, assigning each room in your new house a different colour. Ideally use a floor plan (available from espc. com) to easily highlight which room is which colour for those helping out on moving day. Mark each box, case and item of furniture with the appropriate colour, and then put signs on the doors of your new home as soon as Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

REMEMBER you arrive to ensure that the furniture and boxes end up in the right place. This is especially useful for bedrooms, where you don’t want to have to move large items of furniture such as beds if they are left in the wrong rooms.

One day to go

Make sure to defrost the freezer and empty the kitchen cupboards. Pack a moving day survival kit! Tea, coffee, biscuits, kettle, bed linens – all the essentials that you will need on your arrival at your new home.

On moving day

Take the movers around your home, explaining what is to be taken with you, and what is to be left behind. Point out fragile boxes, your survival kit or other items that you will be taking with you in your own transport. Ensure that the movers have your mobile number and that you have theirs. Record all meter readings – if possible take a photo. Check that all windows are secure and that utilities are turned off. Give the property a good clean, ensuring things are well presented for the new owners. You may wish to hire a professional cleaning agency to do this. Do a final sanity check once the van is loaded to ensure that everything has been taken with you, and remember to double check the garden, shed and garage. Collect the keys for your new home from your solicitor. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

At your new home

Remember to colour code the doors to help your moving team work to your floor plan and put the right boxes in the right places. Put key documents somewhere safe once you arrive at your new home so they won’t be disturbed when you first arrive and be lost by different people moving boxes and furniture around. Read utility meters – again take a photo if possible. It can be a good idea to change the locks in your new home. Have the boiler serviced and the electrical wiring checked. Sit back, order a take-away and enjoy a bottle of bubbly in your new home!

By ESPC ESPC is No.1 for property in East Central Scotland. They have real people on hand to answer all your property related questions. Call their friendly advisers on 0131 624 8000 or visit www.espc.com

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 43

Sell up 10 tips for making more on your home ongratulations, you're moving home! Maybe it's a relocation due to work, or maybe you've finally found the place of your dreams where you'll put down roots. Forces families are a peripatetic bunch, so you've probably moved before – but if you need tips on getting the best price on a property you are selling, read on... In North America they've embraced “dressing up” and even doing some renovation to properties for sale to make them more attractive to buyers. It's called “Home Staging,” and it can mean anything from completely revamping your house to be like a show home, to simply cleaning, decluttering and putting some nice touches on it. Staging is proven to be one of the most effective ways to get a house sold quicker and for more money. It makes sense: when shopping for something expensive, we like it to be presented nicely. A diamond ring looks more valuable on a jeweller's velvet tray than a piece of cardboard. A home is the most expensive thing most of us will purchase during our lifetime, with the average house in the UK worth around £272,000. So why shouldn't homes be presented looking their best? Highlight the finest features of your property and you'll appeal to the largest number of people. To help you get started, here are 10 tips:

GET INTO THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND

You don't need to lecture about mentally preparing for relocation given your line of work. But if you're attached to a property, the first step in this process will be the hardest: move on. You've decided to sell the place, so the sooner you stop thinking of it as your home and start thinking of it as someone else's, the better. It's going to take some hard work to get your house in tip-top shape, but the rewards will almost certainly be worth it. Going into it with a positive attitude will make all the difference. 2

DEPERSONALISE AND DECLUTTER

44 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

All home stagers agree on this point: start by packing away very personal items, the most distracting ones being family portraits and books. Evidence of private routines are to be hidden away; no one should see an unmade bed or makeup all over the bathroom vanity. These things make buyers feel as though they are trespassing. Decluttering your property will make it feel bigger and more orderly. Pay special attention entryways where a buyer will get a first impression. They should be kept clear of boots, dog leads and all the unbeautiful artifacts of daily life that clog most of our front passages, especially bulky items like bikes and prams . No room should escape your clutter edit, including storage areas. Buyers aren't shy about opening cupboard doors, and if your things are on the verge of spilling out of them, it will scream “not enough storage!” 3

PAINT IT MAGNOLIA

Have vibrant colours on the wall? A big vat of magnolia emulsion is in your future. A little bit of drama here and there is fine if it's up to date, but if your colour schemes are very colourful, dark or the slightest bit dated, make them neutral. Buyers want to move their own furniture right in. This is especially important if your house is on the market empty, because walls and flooring are the only things buyers have to go by. Remember, it's not about good or bad taste, it's about widening your home's appeal.

CLEAN AND TOUCH-UP 4

Now is the time to make your home sparkle, and maintain it that way until it's sold. Many of us overlook dirt and signs of wear and tear in our own homes because we don't have the time or resources to stay on top of them. Buyers, on the other hand, will practically do a white-glove test. They want a clean start in a new home unpolluted by their own grime, let alone yours. op things to tackle include: dirty or damaged floors, stains on furniture, grimey sinks or toilets, pet odor, mouldly tile grout

and scuffs on the wall. Once everything is clean, cheap cover-ups like neutral area rugs and slipcovers are great for hiding aging carpet or pet-scratched upholstery. 5

CONSIDER THE FURNITURE

British homes tend to be compact, yet the shops sell goliath-sized pieces. If you have been seduced by big furniture, or have items previously purchased for a larger home, your rooms look will small. Remove some pieces including any items that can't fit nicely. Mirrors are a key furniture item to use when staging. Everyone wants space and light in a home, and mirrors can widen and brighten as you decorate. Steer clear of unusal furniture configurations and go for traditional, symmetrical layouts. They're pleasing to the eye and

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ÂťHousing rooms as home offices these days - using a daybed in those helps you show the dual use. Cheap and colourful storage boxes can make a work space look more attractive by keeping all those extra chargers and computer peripherals out of sight. If you are short of furniture for any of your spaces, for instance for a formal dining room, check charity shops for a cheap way to put the room right. 8

MINIMISE KID PRESENCE

DITCH DATED FEATURES

GIVE IT KERB APPEAL

Child-friendliness will of course help sell a home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that's why show homes tend to have kid rooms in their design. The show home has a major advantage over your house however: no child ever lives in it. In the real world, little people create big messes. Adults, ESPECIALLY parents, can't help but raise hackles when they see little people taking over spaces... therefore lives... even if their own home looks like a nursery from top to bottom. And potential buyers with no children will quickly categorise your property as inappropriate for their lifestyle. Move out any children's items that are not used on a regular basis, and keep what's left in order and as invisible as possible during viewings. Toys all over the lounge can be tidied away in a box in the corner.

instantly create a sense of order, for example flanking the master bed with identical tables and a pair of matching lamps.

FINISH DIY PROJECTS 6 AND REPAIRS

Probably the unsexiest trait your home could posses is a half-complete renovation project. Leave no "required fixes" exposed, even if it means compromising a bit compared with your original vision, for instance putting vinyl on the bathroom floor where you never got around to putting down fancy slate. The point isn't to have everything perfect, but merely looking as fresh and new as possible, so buyers don't feel overwhelmed by how much effort it would take to get the place Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

up to scratch. 7

DEFINE EACH SPACE

In real life, dining rooms become home offices, spare bedrooms become laundry rooms, and garages become dumping grounds. But when buyers walk through your house, these spaces need be restored to their original design function. This the most important things you can do to help your bottom line, especially where bedrooms are concerned. If a property is marketed as a 4 bedroom, it should have a bed in each one of those rooms. Many of us have spare bed-

If your home is on the older side and shows it, make a list of the offenses and tackle the low-difficulty ones first. Changing the knobs and handles in your kitchen for example is a simple way to make it look more contemporary. Spray painting brassy light fixtures chrome or black is another easy modernisation trick. Updating bathrooms and kitchens take more effort but will almost certainly be worth it. Studies show that money spent on those areas pays off. If this is more than you can handle, a new shower curtain and trendy towels can draw attention away from ugly equipment. So now that your house is looking fab on the inside, what about getting people through the door? A buyer's first impression starts outside your property. Clean anything that's dirty, fix anything that's broken, and weed anything that's overgrown. Pay special attention to the approach to the house, i.e. the path to the front door. Other outdoor areas will need to look groomed and under control. as best you can. A great quick fixe is bark mulch to cover up messy flower beds. A welcome mat, a pair of potted plants on either side of the door, and maybe some hanging baskets should be your finishing touch. Good luck! May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 45

Property, done properly. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re No.1 for property in East Central Scotland but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the other stuff that makes us who we are. We have real people on hand to answer all your property related questions. Call our friendly advisers on 0131 624 8000.

ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH...

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Offers over ÂŁ185,000 Call Corum and ask about 27-29 Castle Road, Dunure, KA7 4LW

01292 872322 Rightmove listing ID: 46562669

view from plot

S K L A T ise h c n a r rf u o y g cin Suzie McCafferty n a n i F By

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ÂťFranchising

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May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 49

ith so many franchises out there to choose from, it’s worth considering your funding options right from the very start rather than find after months of research you have a shortlist of ten that you ultimately can’t afford.

Understanding your costs

The first thing to understand is the difference between a franchise fee and the actual cost of starting the business. A franchise fee is a one time, upfront payment that should cover the cost of your initial training, operations manual and perhaps some basic start up equipment or stock. It’s not there for the franchisor to make any significant profit on – it should reflect the cost of getting you to that point. For example a fast food franchise may have a franchise fee of £20k, however the true cost of opening your doors to the paying public may be closer to £200k by the time you factor in securing the right premises, fit out and equipment, marketing budget, stock, staff…. the list goes on. There is nothing wrong or misleading in this at all, provided all the costs are made clear from the outset. That said, there are many other franchises that will have minimal start up costs so the franchise fee may well be the biggest outlay. Always make sure you are giving proper consideration to the true cost of starting the business, rather than simply looking at what initial investment bracket the franchise falls into in a magazine or website. A good franchisor should be very clear about all these figures from the start, after all it’s not in their interest to spend valuable time courting you only for you to run a mile when the true costs become apparent.

Factoring in your financial needs

You also need to be very clear about what your own outgoings will be during at least the first 12 months, as many franchises will not return a profit in the first year (few businesses actually do) and you will still need to support yourself or your family. You must include a realistic figure for this when considering what your working capital requirements will be.

Raising the money

Some of you will be comfortable with the idea of spending all your savings and borrowing more to get the right business off the ground and some of you won’t. There is an element of risk involved in starting any business and even though they may be generally lower with a franchise, you will

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“More than 80% of franchises report profitability”

still need to decide for yourself what level of risk you are prepared to take. Whatever funds you have after leaving the services you will have certainly worked hard for them, so it’s crucial you make the best decisions you can on how to make them work for your future. Let’s say you need/want to borrow some money from the bank to fund your franchise. The first thing you should know is that not every bank understands franchising. Lloyds, RBS, NatWest and HSBC are

all accredited by the British Franchise Association as having specialist knowledge in the industry, so make sure you approach them first and ensure your appointment is with someone from the franchise team. The second thing you should know is that the banks love good franchises and are often happy to lend between 50-70% of the total costs you need. Why? It’s because Franchising has a great reputation for success; more than 80% of franchises report profitability. As

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Franchising

encouraging as those figures are however, no franchise can ever guarantee success – you need to follow the model and put in an incredible amount of hard work! If a bank has a relationship with a particular franchise brand and has successfully funded previous franchisees, then naturally they will look more favourably on subsequent applications. However, no matter how established or successful the franchise, you will need to be incredibly well prepared. The bank will want a very detailed business plan that shows clearly how YOU will make the franchise work in YOUR territory. This plan will include market and competitor analysis, launch plan, marketing strategy

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

and financial projections preferably validated by an accountant – the bank or your franchisor can provide you with a great template to get you started. They may also want security against the loan, which often may involve a property, but at the moment you can get unsecured loans of up to £25k depending on your status and credit history. Leasing can also be an option for capital equipment depending on the nature of your franchise, which helps to keep down initial costs.

Get as much support as you need

If it sounds daunting, it’s because it should be! Investing in a franchise may

be one of the biggest decisions you make in your life (but also one of the most rewarding) so needs to be taken with the appropriate level of seriousness. Always remember there is good advice on hand to help you determine what level of funding your require and the best way to go about it.

Suzie McCafferty

Suzie is managing director of Platinum Wave, an independent BFA accredited franchise consultancy. www.platinumwave.co.uk email suzie@platinumwave.co.uk +44(0) 131 664 1218

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 51

BUILDING

BOOM

The construction upturn means career opportunities by Ray Jackson

hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt about it: construction is an inviting sector for career transition, presenting opportunities both at home and abroad. Here in the UK this industry has been in the headlines, particularly around the upcoming housing shortage. A vast amount of new build residential construction is planned in the coming years all over the country. Rail construction is also an area of growth with ongoing maintenance and expansion to existing lines. Seasonal factors see empoyment in this sector hotting up with the warmer months, making this a good time for job hunting. So what kinds of career paths might be in store for you? We interviewed industry expert Tom Clark for the scoop.

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ÂťConstruction

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May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 53

LO OK I NG TO B UI L D YOUR C A R E E R ? COME TO C A L A NOW CALA is the UK’s most upmarket major homebuilder with luxury homes in desirable locations throughout Scotland, the Midlands and southern England. We are looking for the best individuals to join us in a variety of roles at all levels and would welcome applications from people outside the construction industry. If you want to work somewhere that challenges and rewards with opportunity to grow, come to CALA.

VISIT CALA.CO.UK/CAREERS OR CALL 0131 411 689 FOR MORE DETAILS.

Building for the Future

Lagan Construction Group deliver high quality, innovative civil engineering and building solutions for roads, airports, water, energy, marine, building and water processing. We specialise in developing bespoke piling and foundation solutions for all civil engineering and building structures and have our own in-house quarry materials business. We offer infrastructure investment advice and management of whole life cost solutions including operation & maintenance for all project types. London and Southern England Region require the following positions:

• • • •

Design Manager Site Agent Senior Engineer Engineer x 2

• • • •

Senior Quantity Surveyor Quantity Surveyor Assistant Quantity Surveyor M+E Manager

Airports – UK and International:

• Project Manager A full driving licence is essential for all posts. Competitive remuneration packages are offered for the successful candidates and are dependent on qualifications and experience. To apply please visit www.laganconstructiongroup.com The closing date for applications is 12 noon Friday 22nd May.

LAGAN CONSTRUCTION GROUP ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

For more information on our career opportunities visit our website: www.rgcarter-construction.co.uk/careers Constructing careers since 1921

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Build your career with Eaton, and build power management solutions that keep the world moving more efficiently, reliably and safely.

If you are searching for a career with a company that values the training and experience that veterans bring, then Eaton is your ideal company. Military professionals at Eaton are part of an organization that focuses on providing power management solutions to global customers while doing business right.

Search and apply for opportunities at www.eaton.com/careers! Eaton is a global power management company. We help customers manage power, so buildings, airplanes, trucks, cars, machinery and entire businesses can do more while consuming less energy. As an integrated global company, we are unified in our commitment to powering business worldwide.

Our products and the employees who design and build them are part of making a difference in the world every day. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to do something that matters, to do it well and to be encouraged and rewarded for doing it, then Eaton is the place for you.

Tom, can you tell us your career background?

My main experience has been working as a Project Manager on various large scale renewable contracts such as the Carrington Papermill (£15m), IGGESUND IPW Biomass Plant Workington (£10m) and various other contracts of a similar scale. Within each of these projects I was responsible for the safe delivery of all civil engineering, building and concrete structures required within each projects ensuring they were completed on time and budget. A

“THERE ARE M A RULES AND NY REGULATIONS NEED TO ORWE K WITHIN TO DW O A JO B WELL AND TO D O IT SAFELY...TH S E WITH MILITARY EXO P E WILL BE WELL RIENCE USED TO THAT TYPE O WORKING” F

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What skills gained from the forces would translate well into construction? What would you say are the key attributes? Q

Key skills that would translate well from armed forces directly into the construction environment would be work ethic, teamwork, communication, safety awareness and observance of relevant regulations. In general there are a lot of A

rules and regulations we need to work within to do a job well and to do it safely. Rail construction in particular is heavily regulated for obvious reasons. Those with military experience will be well used to that type of working in a way that many civilians are not.

Can you talk about the competiveness of construction careers - and the best ways to be successful? Q

As with every environment the construction industry is competitive. However the industry is going through an upturn in workload following on from the recent recession, which will provide many opportunities. My advice on the best way to be successful would be to choose a career path that you have a genuine interest in whilst identifying the necessary training required. When this has been established it is essential that going forward each individual discusses how they envisage their career to progress and at this stage should discuss A

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»Construction

with their prospective employer about creating and monitoring their own CPD.

It can be daunting to look at progressing in a new career path within About our interviewee any environment. There are many construction open days which take place What would you say are Westlin Group is an experienced Q contractor operating throughout the UK. best ways to get involved within the industry regularly. In addition to this many labour agencies The group Directors bring together in this industry, what advice who we use offer an ‘ice breaker’ over 50 years’ experience in which they would you give to someone induction period to provide an have successful delivered high profile interested? insight into the construction contracts to various blue chip clients I’d say utilise a trade A environment prior to throughout all sectors. background if you have the candidate’s Within the group there are two it at present. There is initial start on subsidiary companies - Westlin currently a high demand for Construction site.The Construction and Westlin Rail, skilled tradesman = 6% of UK training is which help utilise in house throughout all sectors. not intenresource and specialism. They But there are wide-ranging economy sive and is work to compliment each other options in this sector, from on all projects, and operate more informlabouring and manual works throughout the construction, as ative than to more managerial, well as residential, renewable and anything, most of the academically qualified routes. A lot initial training courses depends on your personal situation. Tom Clark railway infrastructure sectors. Future employment which would be applicaopportunities with the Westlin ble to all would be safety What kind of support and Q Group will be communicated awareness. Other than training is availathrough Equipped following a that, training would be ble? What kind of support do new partnership. tailored to suit each canyou offer and how intensive didate’s requirements is the training? Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 57

Claiming ELC Funding Required reading for anyone wishing to claim ELCs nhanced learning credits (ELCs) can be your golden ticket to more opportunities for your transition, providing you with an upfront cash contribution towards higher learning. However, there are rules you must follow carefully if your claim is to be successful. Before registering for any learning activity, serving personnel must get authorisation from their Line Manager (part 4 of the claim form) and Education Staff (part 5) to ensure that their chosen course meets the MoD requirements for ELC funding. Ex-Service personnel must get authorisation at part 5 of the claim form from their Single Service Representative (full contact details can be found at www.goo.gl/nJ8rB4). There are then several factors to consider:

Plan your transition in advance

Do your research!

You must fully research both the Provider that you choose and the course that you wish to study.

TOP TIP: Providers may move on and off the approved list, so it is advisable to check your Provider is approved before you undertake any claim. 2

Does your course qualify?

ELCs are only available for courses that result in a nationally-recognised qualification at level 3 or above on the National Qualification Framework (www.goo.gl/rTCzTm) or level 6 or above on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (www.goo.gl/vN3Rdd). Just because an organisation is listed as an Approved Provider does not mean that all of their courses are of the required level. TOP TIP: A list of the references to help with course level research may be found here: www.goo.gl/kulBBf. You must refer to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Joint Service Publications 898 Part 4, Chapter 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122; for guidance with regard to eligible activities.

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Get authorisation before the course starts

You must present your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN) to your chosen Provider in advance of your course start date. Sometimes circumstances change or you may change your mind about a course. If for any reason you can not undertake the course, you can submit a request to cancel/ reinstate the claim. Failure to do so may result in the loss of Scheme Membership, which will prevent any future claims.

TOP TIP: Keep a copy of your CAN as you will need the reference numbers for completing your Evaluation Form.

Think before you cancel or withdraw

You need to be aware of the implications of cancelling or withdrawing from a course of study funded by ELC. Always consult Education Staff before doing either, as it can have a serious effect on future ELC eligibility. 5

Still in the Service?

Then the proposed learning activity must be of benefit to the Service. You are required to demonstrate that your proposed course of study is as a result of careful planning (use Personal Development Records). If you have left the Service, this does not apply to you! Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťELC 6

ELCs only cover 80% of each course

You must contribute from your own resources at least 20% towards the total course cost. You must also cover costs for food, accommodation, course books, material, travel and subsistence.

BE AWARE: MoD rules strictly forbid the acceptance of inducements from Providers including subsidies, free accommodation, travel and equipment. Learners who breach these rules risk forfeiting their ELC membership!

strate that you have completed previous courses to your Education Staff / Single Service Representative. 8

You must first ensure that you have completed the Evaluation Form (www.goo.gl/k8Br5B) for all previous courses funded using ELC. You must also provide documentary evidence to demon-

Taking courses in quick succession?

It may be necessary to submit a claim for a second or third course before the previous course has ended. In these cases the Evaluation Form can be submitted when you have completed enough study to effectively evaluate the Provider. 9

For second or third 7 claims

towards a continuous and recognised block of study which may extend into or start in the next financial year.

List your modules correctly

If your course is split into modules, list each module you are claiming for. However, for longer courses of study such as degree level, where the academic year is out of sync with the financial year, it is permissible to use one claim for several modules which count

Retrospective ELC claims are not permitted!

Claim forms must be received by ELCAS at least 15 clear working days prior to the course start date. Ensure that you have enough time to receive the Claim Authorisation Note to present to your chosen Provider before the course starts. (Please note that for courses with Open University the CAN must be presented to them by the final course registration date). You should not set up a loan/credit agreement for the full cost of the course under any circumstances. The original text for this guide can be found on the ELC website at: www.goo.gl/9JVWOa

Claim timeline - your ELC guide Minimum of 25-30 working days before course registration deadline or course start date

Minimum 25 working days before course start/registration date

Read and understand JSP898-P4C3 and/or DIN 2009DIN07-042

Complete Calim Form

research course and Learning Provider including level method, precourse reading requirments

Education staff signs claim form and posts to ELCAS for processing or Education staff/ SSR processes claim form via online system

Send claim form to education staff/SSR for authorisation Do NOT send to ELCAS

ELCAS must receive claim minimum of 15 working days before course start date

Course start/ registration date

If claim is processed by ELCAS it may take up to 10 working days to process the claim once received

Education Officer/ Single Service Representitive post/fax CAN to learner or Learning Provider

ELCAS check claim

Claim correct?

Refer to Learning Centre staff/ SSR if necessary

Contact learning Provider to secure place on course

Minimum 20 working days before course start/registration date

Claim correct?

Make necessary corrections/ actions

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Claimant actions Education Staff/Single service Representitive (SSR) actions ELCAS actions

Yes Yes

ELCAS post CAN (2nd class) back to Learning Centre

Note: Claimants no longer in service must send their claim to their SSR - contact details on Ex-Service personnel page May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 59

To infinity and beyond Infiniti Q50 takes us lightyears ahead

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ÂťMotoring

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May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 61

Infiniti Q50 From £27,950

eems reasonable that any wellengineered car would have a solid, mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. But that’s something the Infiniti Q50 does without.

62 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

The Q50 is one of a new breed of cars that has steer-bywire. In the same way that modern aircraft connect the pilot to the control surfaces using electrical signals rather than mechanical linkages, the Q50 does away with a conventional steering system in favour of an entirely electric set-up. Actually that’s not quite true:

there is still a mechanical system, but it only works as a back-up in the unlikely event that the electronics fail. The result is steering which can be made free of kickback on poor surfaces, improving control and reducing driver fatigue. The Q50’s steer-bywire system – which Infiniti calls Direct Adaptive

Steering – also offers driverselectable settings for steering weight and sharpness of response, so you can tune the steering to your preferences. In practice, it drives best with the settings in the middle of their ranges, and while the steering is remarkably free of kickback on bad roads the structure still shudders as the Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ANDREW NOAKES

“THE Q50 IS OF A NEW BROENE OF CARS THAT ED STEER-BY IRHAS E, DOING AWA-W Y W IT A CONVENTIO H STEERING SYS NAL IN FAVOUR OFTEM ENTIRELY ELE AN CTRIC SET-UP”

»Motoring

big Dunlops thud into potholes, so you’re by no means isolated from the road. Mercedes and Jaguar rivals are better at cossetting their occupants, but depending on the engine and specification choices you make they might end up costing more. The Q50 has a choice of three engines, all of them with good power outputs for the class. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

engines

2.0-litre petrol, The 2.2-litre diesel to choose which offers brisk has 170PS and a from performance and choice of six-speed useful power over a manual or seven-speed broad speed range, with automatic transmissions. reasonable smoothness. But it The 2.0-litre turbo petrol has can be noisy, and when you add 211PS and is auto-only, and in the road roar over some surthere’s a rapid 3.5-litre petrol faces the Infiniti is less refined hybrid with automatic transthan the best in its class. mission and the option of Rivals might do some things four-wheel drive. We drove the

better but the Q50 does have eye-catching looks and a comfortable, well-trimmed interior which help to make it an appealing package. And it has the bonus that Infinitis are still a rare sight on British roads, so if you are keen to have a mid-size saloon the neighbours won’t have, this might be it. May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 63

A good vintage

Morgan 3-wheeler is and old-school ride for retro enthusiasts Morgain

From £25,950

here’s no two ways about it: this car is nuts. It harks back to a vintage era of motoring, and its does it by throwing away lots of features most would take for granted – like ABS, traction control, air bags, a roof, doors, a proper windscreen, a heater. And – as you will have guessed from the name – a fourth wheel. Morgan’s first car, built in 1910, was a three-wheeler, and the company continued making them right up to the 1950s. After that four-wheeled sports cars, introduced in 1936, took over completely and these days

64 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

there’s a healthy demand for them. The current range has two strands – the ‘classic’ cars using traditional chassis and powered by Ford motors, and the Aero range which use big BMW V8 engines and state-ofthe-art aluminium structures. The new-age 3-wheeler was announced in 2011. As first conceived it used a HarleyDavidson V-twin engine, but the production car uses a twin from American Harley tuners S&S. It’s a monster: two cylinders of nearly a litre each, delivering 82bhp at 5250rpm channelled through a Mazda MX-5 five-speed gearbox and belt drive to the single rear wheel. The whole car weighs

just 525kg dry, so that’s enough power to deliver 0-60mph acceleration in around six seconds, and a speed of 115mph. The maximum is largely academic. Even trundling through town at responsible speeds the Morgan assails your senses: the exhaust pipes on either side of the body end just behind your ears, so you’re deafened by every blip of the throttle. The wind claws at your face and hair, and rain drops smack you in the face like grapeshot. Goggles, or even a bike-style helmet, are essential. You need gloves, too – to stop your fingers freezing and to ensure you have enough purchase on the wheel. The

direct, unassisted steering is light near the straight-ahead but weights up in mid-corner, in classic sports car style. Clutch and brake pedals also need a firm activation, but the solid brake provides an excellent pivot for proper heel-and-toe downchanges. There’s no rational measure by which the Morgan makes any sense. But that’s not what it’s for. Instead it’s a glorious antidote to way modern cars insulate their drivers, and if that appeals there are few other options at the price, and none as beautifully built and detailed. You don’t have to be mad to buy one, but it helps. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

THE JOURNEY DOES NOT HAVE TO END

PROJECT FIREFLY

THE SEAMLESS THE TRANSFER SEAMLESS SCHEME

TRANSFER SCHEME

FROM THE REGULAR SERVICE TO THE MARITIME RESERVES FROM REGULAR TO MARITIME RESERVE

Leaving the service? You could apply to transfer from Regular to Maritime Reserves by using PROJECT FIREFLY’s “Seamless Transfer Scheme” for more information call 023 92628677 or e-mail navypers-restpa@mod.uk.

YOUand ARE LEAVING THE SERVICE HAVE Office. THE DESIRE TO Ex–Regulars may alsoIFapply are processed through their nearestAND ArmedSTILL Forces Careers REMAIN CONNECTED WITH A NAVAL WAY OF LIFE, GET IN TOUCH!

RNR CALL 02392 628677 OR E-MAIL NAVYPERS-RESTPA@MOD.UK MARITIME RESERVES – The force of highly trained civilian volunteers who when called upon ably support the RMR CALL 02392 625534 OR E-MAIL NAVYPERS-CMRMR@MOD.UK Royal Navy’s wide ranging operational commitments. FURTHER DETAILS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN 2014DIN 01 – 130. All this and much The rewards include – more for an annual navygraphics 14/583 • Excellent rates of pay commitment of just • A generous tax free bounty 24 days for Naval • Pension Reserves and 26 Days • The added benefit of a 2 year harmony period. for Marine Reserves. • Remain part of Naval Family with its special camaraderie.

THE JOURNEY DOES NOT HAVE TO END!

Racing to Support Our Paras A charitable chase in the British Touring Car Championship pair of much-modified Infiniti Q50s are new entrants into the high-profile British Touring Car Championship this year, and they’re racing under the banner of Support Our Paras, the official charity of The Parachute Regiment. Based at the Mallory Park race circuit in Leicestershire – formerly RAF Kirkby Mallory – the team aims to raise awareness of and funds for Support Our Paras. Under the leadership of team

66 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

principal Derek Palmer, an experienced touring car team boss, a team of injured Paratroopers will prepare and maintain the cars during the BTCC season. The team also has the long-term goal of bringing injured Paratroopers through the racing ranks to eventually drive the cars. For 2015 the Support Our Paras Infiniti Q50s are being driven by Richard Hawken and Derek Palmer jr, both of them with plenty of experience in other forms of touring car racing if not in the British championship itself. Technical problems with the brand new cars saw only one of the Q50s able to run in the first weekend of the championship at Brands Hatch in April, where Palmer took on the driving

duties. In the first of the three races he was forced to retire the car after 10 laps with a steering problem, though there was some comfort from the Q50 proving faster on some of the straights than Rob Collard’s race-winning BMW. Palmer and the Q50 finished the second race, and narrowly avoided someone else’s accident in the third race to bring the car home again in race 3. “We’ve exceeded our expectations this weekend,” Palmer said. “No one should underestimate the achievement the Paras have delivered. These are guys who were injured serving our country, and in the space of a few months have built a BTCC racer capable of competing successfully in Britain’s top championship. Of course it’s been a challenge, but it’s not in their nature to fail.” Team Leader Darren Fuller, a

former Colour Sergeant in the Parachute Regiment who lost his right arm serving in Afghanistan 2008, said it had been a fantastic weekend. “It’s been a massive achievement just to get here with one car to race in the ultra-competitive BTCC. And we’ll certainly have the second car on the grid in a fortnight at Donington. The lads are doing it for the charity and what we actually want to do is raise awareness and funds for that charity, and today was the first step towards achieving that.” The Infiniti isn’t yet on the pace of the leading BTCC cars but there’s a long way to go in the season, with a total of 30 races spread across 10 race meetings. The team will be hoping to make a steady improvement through the year to the final races, back at Brands Hatch in October. See parasracing.com Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Small torque This month’s motoring news ■■ Jaguar’s new XF, announced at the New York motor show in April, looks a lot like the outgoing model but is very different underneath. It adopts an aluminium structure for light weight, to improve performance, fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Other highlights include extra rearseat space and a range of new engines. It’s available now at a starting price of £32,300. ■■ Also unveiled in New York was McLaren’s latest sports car, the 570S. Smaller and less powerful than the existing 650S and P1, the new car has fixed rather than active aerodynamics and conventional suspension in place of the other cars’ hydraulic systems. The McLaren costs from £143,250, fractionally more expensive than a Porsche 911 Turbo S. ■■ Mazda is offering attractive finance deals across its entire range, including Personal Contract Purchase schemes with no minimum deposit. The offers include models such as the brand new CX-3, available from June, and the final examples of the currentgeneration MX-5 roadster. See www.mazda.co.uk/offers ■■ Ford’s new Galaxy sevenseater is said to offer improved road manners, better economy and greater refinement. It also incorporates a host of new technology, including adaptive LED headlamps, an intelligent speed limiter which reads road signs, and a collision avoidance system with pedestrian detection, which can apply the brakes automatically. ■■ Toyota says its new Avensis saloon and estate models have more equipment across the board than the cars they replace. The new cars also have sharper styling, an improved cabin and a range of efficient new engines. Built at Burnaston in Derbyshire, Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Jaguar XF

McLaren 570S

Mazda CX-3

Ford Galaxy

the Avensis costs from £17,475 and the first deliveries are expected in June. ■■ Engineers from automotive technology firm Delphi have successfully travelled 3400 miles across the USA in a self-driving car. Nicknamed ‘Roadrunner’, the modified Audi Q5 is equipped with 10 radar systems, three vision-based cameras, six laser sensors and sophisticated software. It coped with roundabouts, roadworks, aggressive drivers and even tumbleweed during the nineday trip. ■■ The speed limits for HGVs rose to 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual-carriageways in April. The Freight Transport Association, the road haulage industry body, said the changes would improve safety and efficiency, but road safety charity Brake called the decision “short-sighted”. Andrew has been writing about cars and motorsport for 20 years, during which time he has tested everything from Citroen 2CV-powered threewheelers to two-seat Formula 1 cars. He has written for newspapers, car magazines and automotive websites, and is the author of more than a dozen motoring books. Follow him on Twitter @ andrewnoakes May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 67

JOBS Ainscough Crane Hire

Crane Operator Competitive salary Aberdeen, Dundee 01257 473 423 a.hesketh@ainscough.co.uk

FedEx UK

Operative £6.50 per hour

Wales 01279 682728 kcameron@fedex.com

Cordant Security Ltd

Essex 01384 282 521 pat.robinson@ cordantservices.com

Security Officer - Corporate (Basildon) £8.52 per hour

Hays Healthcare Qualified Ambulance Paramedic £21,388 - £27,901

Buckinghamshire 02072 003700 robert.eldridge@hays.com

G4S Specialist Training

Sodexo

Northern Ireland

Multi Task Operative Competitive salary

07979 708 325 recruitment.uk@sodexo.com

Manchester Football Customer Care Stewards £6.50p/h Manchester 01432 850 223 specialisttraining@uk.g4s.com

Civil Nuclear Constabulary Duty Planner £18,628 pa Cumbria 012354 66315 jobs@cnc.police.uk

Gamestec Leisure Ltd Account Manager - Midlands Competitive salary England 0113 258 9495 neillancaster@gamestec.co.uk

Marston’s Plc

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Assistant/Quantity Surveyor

Competitive salary Wales 07941 851 035 adrian.boucher@ interservefm.com

Leased Partners Opportunity - Bulls Head £11,250 Staffordshire 01902 711811 leanne.lynch@marstons. co.uk

ADVERTISE HERE CONTACT THE TEAM ON 0141 840 4902 OR EMAIL INFO@EQUIPPEDMEDIA.CO.UK

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TRAINING

ÂťJobS & training classifieds

BBA Training Academy

Close Protection Course Recognition of Prior Learning 31-Jul-15 London 0203 282 7575 shaun@the-bba.org.uk

Blue Square Global Ltd

BTEC Level 4 Professional Award in Covert

CTTS Group

Commercial Operator Training Solutions Ltd

Transition Plan 1 - 7 Weeks (ELC) 13-Jul-15 Lincoln 01522 880 902 colin.syme@cabletechstaff.co.uk

LGV Category C1, C1&E, C and C&E 15-Jun-15 Swansea 01792 587 250 jason@cotsolutions.co.uk

cHRysos HR Solutions Ltd

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May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 69

»Career events

Forthcoming job & career fairs Don’t miss these events! All are open to the Armed Forces Community

2015 DATE 14th May

EVENT AND VENUE BFRS National North Yorkshire Military Community Career Fair Catterick, Catterick Leisure Centre

CONTACT DETAILS 0116 2545477

2nd Jul

BFRS National Gloucestershire Military Community Career Fair Gloucester, Hatherley Manor Hotel

0116 2545477

10th Sep

BFRS National South West Military Community Career Fair Tidworth, Tidworth Leisure Centre

0116 2545477

15th Oct

BFRS National North yorkshire Military Community Career fair Catterick, Catterick Leisure Centre

0116 2545477

CTP EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING FAIRS DATE 14th May

EVENT AND VENUE CTP National Scotland Employment Fair dewars Centre, Perth

CONTACT DETAILS 02031 624410

18th Jun

CTP National South west South West Employment Fair UWE, Bristol

02031 624410

16th Jul

CTP National Eastern Employment Fair Manchester Central

02031 624410

10th Sep

CTP National North West & West Midlands Employment Fair Manchester Central

02031 624410

9th Oct

CTP National South Coast Employemtn Fair AGEAS Bowl, Southampton

02031 624410

CTP event notes: Although the above military events are primarily for Armed Forces personnel who have not yet left, any ex-service person regardless of rank, service or time since discharge is most welcome to attend with their partner if they wish 70 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Never-ending support for our soldiers. Since 1944.

A grant towards a rent deposit can bring a soldier in from today’s ‘No Man’s Land’. Some former soldiers can have great difficulty securing a place to live. They may have a low credit score after years spent moving from place to place or struggle with affording property in a challenging housing market. Lack of funds can place the all-important rent deposit out of reach. Supporters like you enable us to give grants that literally open doors for these soldiers, giving them the deposit they need to get out of No Man’s Land. The impact of these grants was lifechanging for Jason in Perthshire. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps until an injury led to a medical discharge. He now works two jobs to help make ends meet. He had nowhere to live and was staying with friends for a time. Now, thanks to a grant for a rent deposit from The Soldiers’ Charity, Jason has finally managed to secure his own flat.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) and Scotland (039189). Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (07974609). Registered Office: Mountbarrow House 6-20 Elizabeth Street London SW1W 9RB Tel: 020 7901 8900 Email: fundraising@soldierscharity.org

»CTP FACT FILE

How to prepare for leaving the forces Making the transition

Even if you have a job to go to on leaving the armed forces, you are strongly advised to register for resettlement through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and not miss out on the wealth of guidance available to you. This includes the Career Transition Workshop (CTW), along with a range of other workshops such as Business Start-up, Interview Techniques or CV Writing. The purpose of these workshops is to help you to recognise and assess your options and learn skills in order to approach the civilian workplace and market yourself to a future employer. These are skills that are important to develop for life, and not just for your next job. If you don’t go – you won’t know.

hroughout our lives we are faced with choices or options and as you prepare to leave the services, you are potentially about to face some of your biggest ones yet. You can never start this preparation early enough so plan your resettlement carefully and thoroughly. In order to commence a successful self-marketing campaign one of the first things you should do is to decide what it is you wish to achieve.

What has changed since you joined the services?

Understand the world of work

■■ what has changed since you joined the services? ■■ how do those changes affect you? ■■ how do you effectively manage your own career? ■■ what are the different patterns of work? ■■ what do you want from a company? ■■ how do you negotiate a salary package?

What transferable skills do you have?

Identify your interests and skills ■■ what are your interests? ■■ what transferable skills do you have? ■■ what training or qualifications have you done? ■■ can you identify what you have achieved so far? ■■ does all this help you decide what to do next?

Proactive networking

■■ how do you establish a useful network? ■■ how do you use networks to help you research? ■■ how can networks help you into a job? ■■ how can networks help with career development?

Networking Advice

■■ start early ■■ create mutually supportive relationships ■■ use these at all stages of career development, not just at time of job change

72 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Create mutually supportive relationships with social networking

■■ networks are useful information sources ■■ successful people develop networks ■■ use them to market yourself and your organisation The CTP can help you find the answers to these questions through attending workshops and one-to-one sessions with your Career Consultant. If you are not yet registered with the CTP, speak to your local Resettlement Officer or Service Resettlement Advisor for further advice.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

s route map A service leaver’ pleted at Ser vice leaver com e: least 4 years’ ser vic reer Registers with Ca rship (CTP) Transition Par tne

The self-marketing approach Based on the application of well established marketing concepts to the task of getting a new job. Marketing is about delivering products and services to meet customers’ needs. In this case, you are the product, the customer is your next employer. Your task is to persuade the customer that the range of benefits, which you bring, match his or her needs.

EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMME

Ser ved over 6 years?

Yes nsition Attends Career Tra uivalent eq or W) (CT p Worksho

Define the product

■■ identify as wide a range of your skills and experience as you can ■■ from these you can choose which ones match what the employer wants ■■ demonstrate your value to the employer ■■ list your successes ■■ focus on skills and attitudes rather than tasks ■■ identify transferable skills ■■ learn to think in terms of product (you) and customer (your next employer) ■■ remember, customers buy benefits ■■ define yourself in terms of unique selling propositions

Prepare self-marketing literature Your CV should include: ■■ a personal profile – your unique selling proposition ■■ major achievements – the benefits you brought to current and previous jobs ■■ a focus on your transferable skills Your CV should avoid mentioning: ■■ details of salary ■■ references ■■ any negative aspects of your career to date ■■ clichés, jargon, abbreviations and untruths

Research the market

■■ decide on sectors, geographical areas, etc ■■ use directories, databases, internet, etc ■■ ask for information ■■ use your personal network ■■ use industry associations, chambers of commerce, etc ■■ attend employment fairs and conferences

Implement a marketing campaign Use a variety of approaches including: ■■ responding to advertisements ■■ direct approaches by phone, email and letter ■■ networking ■■ employment agencies ■■ develop a system and keep records of all activities ■■ follow up approaches systematically ■■ learn from your mistakes Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT LE D

ettlement Prepare Personal Res eer Consultant Plan (PRP with Car

• • • • •

Attends hops further CTP works C training at RTC/RR achment Civilian training att External training briefings Financial/Housing ent Fairs and Attends Employm other CTP events

h • Prepares PRP wit Employment Consultant al • Receives region employment advice

or Receives advice on tched job notification of ma opportunities

EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT LE D Develops, reviews and actions PRP: Further advice on: • career options • self-employment • job finding • training • attachments • research activities • civilian work attachments Consultant supports ss and monitors progre

tions Makes job applica

ent Secures employm

ued for up to CTP support contin rge 2 years after discha port is sup g din fin job A RFEA/O ent age irem ret til un le ilab ava

Available to those vice with 4-6 years’ ser

Sell yourself on a face-to-face basis

■■ research the employer ■■ think about what skills the job involves and how you could demonstrate these ■■ prepare interview responses ■■ dress appropriately ■■ arrive early; impress everybody you meet ■■ smile ■■ avoid crossing arms and legs when sitting ■■ maintain eye contact ■■ answer questions honestly, but focus on the positive ■■ manage the interview to match your benefits to the employer’s needs ■■ prepare questions that you can ask the interviewer ■■ seek feedback and learn from mistakes

For the most up to date information, please visit www.ctp.org.uk May 2015 | EQUIPPED | 73

»Letters

Letters to the editor we want to hear from you

ere at Equipped, we want to cover the issues that matter to you. We need your help to make sure we’re on the right track.

In following issues, this page will feature a selection of comments and opinions from our readers. Whether you have something good to say, or bad, don’t hesitate to drop us an email at editor@ equippedmedia.co.uk and share your thoughts on what we produce.

The contents of your messaging will of course vary, and can range from things like what kind of features you’d like to see covered, organisations you feel would be appropriate to discuss, or even what you may or may not have enjoyed in a recent issue.

Space is limited, so please remember to keep your messages punchy and to the point. Depending on the volume of submissions, we may not be able to acknowledge unpublished correspondence; but please be assured that we appreciate all feedback. Anything published may be edited and shortened for clarity or space purposes. If you haven’t already done so, please check out our Facebook and Twitter pages. These social media sites are another gateway for you to get in touch and share some of your thoughts. Don’t be shy! Our goal is to create content that is relevant to you and to make sure you are getting all you can from what we produce. We look forward to hearing from you.

facebook.com/ equippedmagazine

@equippedmag

Ask the experts

Introducing our Equipped panel of professionals, on hand to serve you

Harry Dean CEO and Founder, BFRS

BUSINESS Harry left the Army in 1998 after some 30 years of service and became an entrepreneur, setting up numerous successful businesses and holding several directorships. Harry has a wealth of knowledge in many areas including military transitions, resourcing solutions, business start-ups, and business coaching/ mentoring.

74 | EQUIPPED | May 2015

Now we’re taking things a step further by providing personal expert assistance and advice for your individuals issues from our panel of professionals. If you have a question about business, personal Melanie Pullan Organisational Psychologist and Executive Coach

development, careers advice and writing your CV, or transition from the UK or Commonwealth Armed Forces, we want to hear from you! Write to us at editor@ equippedmedia.co.uk and

Sian Richardson Career Master 4 Military

your question could be featured the next issue of Equipped. As above, we may not be able to print every question we receive, and some questions may be shortened due to space limitations.

Dominic Hamberg Operations Manager, BFRS

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

CAREERS ADVICE & CV WRITING

MILITARY TRANSITIONS

Melanie holds a Master’s Degree in Organisational Psychology and is a Member of the British Psychological Society. She has a particular interest in personal development with a focus on addressing issues such as performance management, stress management, developing communication and interpersonal skills, goalsetting, and building

Sian is a former military spouse who spent 20 years with a FTSE 100 company and has managed the HR department of a top national financial services organisation. With additional training as a specialist recruiter, Sian has hired and fired people at all levels. Sian is now a military transition expert at her own company Career Master 4 Military.

Dominic has a mixed military and civilian background. He has spent a number of years in a managerial roles in the hospitality industry and military transitions industry. His current role sees him deliver briefings, presentations and one to one sessions regarding transition and the civilian job market place, and he has a wealth of experience to share.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Equipped has always been about helping Forces people planning or executing their transition by providing you with the latest training, resettlement and recruitment news and opportunities.

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