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PAUL KERR

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SHAKE IT OFF!

HOW TO MOVE ON FROM JOB HUNTING MISTAKES

SOCIAL MEDIA

DETOX

6

QUALITIES TO BE A PERFECT FRANCHISEE

TESTED THE NEW JAGUAR

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15/09/2015 18:05

• Financial incentive worth up to £10,000 over 3 years* • • • • • •

Qualify for the top level Tax free annual training bounty* Work with your colleagues and friends Continue with your adventure training and sports Retain your rank (subject to vacancies) No call-out liability for the first 3 years* Continue your life long learning with entitlement to Standard Learning Credits • Opportunities in many trades nationwide • Reduced commitment* • Many civilian companies will agree up to an extra 10 days leave for Reserve Service

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0845 606 9069

0333 202 1099

www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment /rafrecruitment

@RAF_Recruitment

*Conditions apply, further information available from the above number

Hello! »Welcome

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WELCOME TO OUR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ISSUE

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SOCIAL MEDIA

P.26

t’s been said that adversity brings out the best in us, and if our cover man is anything to go by it’s certainly the case. Paul Kerr has endured more than his share of challenges, including a diagnosis of MS, but in his words, “being the person the Royal Marines polished me into, I did not take bad news lying down.” Now a father, entrepreneur, inventor and author, we spoke to Paul about his recent projects, including a new, non-lethal light gun or ‘dazzler,’ recently used by maritime security forces to thwart a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden. Read about his fascinating story in our exclusive interview.

Who among us has a squeaky clean social media presence, free of any embarrasing photos, dodgy jokes or comments that a potential employer might balk at? The answer will be YOU after you read our Social Media Detox guide. And yes, that red-faced holiday snap of you posing with a table full of empty pint glasses will have to go.

By popular demand we continue our coverage on security professions with a 10 page feature on training and career options. Ideally suited to exmilitary, these are jobs for the alert, adept and courageous.

Courtesy of the British Legion’s MoneyForce we have handy tips for saving your money. We all know we need to do it, and this advice makes it easy.

Columnist Alex Cooper begins a three part series this issue exploring transition challenges in depth. In the first installment, he looks at the ‘raw material’ that goes into the military, and how a career in the forces often shapes that into something remarkable: you!

Personal development this issue comes with its own theme song. We give you three ways to move on from a job hunting gaffe; because it’s easy dwell on a mistake, but sometimes you just gotta shake it off.

DETOX

PAUL KERR

6

QUALITIES TO BE A PERFECT FRANCHISEE

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TESTED THE NEW JAGUAR

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3 MUST READS

1 PAUL KERR Exclusive interview with the ex-Royal Marine entrepreneur.

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2 SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX Deep clean your online profiles. P14

3 SECURITY CAREERS 10 page special in our ongoing security career coverage. P26

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Magazine & online September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 3

» SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

CONTENTS 22

4 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

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Inside

26

This issue 6 BIG PIC

Tartan Dagger

8 NEWS

Latest updates

11 LOST IN TRANSITION

14

The first in a three part special examinging the root causes of transition problems 12 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Shake it off: tips for moving on from job hunting mistakes 14 SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX Clean up your online profiles to impress employers 16 VETERAN OF NOTE Royal Navy officer Wendy Frame receives OBE for humanitarian efforts in the Philippines 18 MONEYFORCE British Legion’s MoneyForce gives you tips on how to start saving your money 20 ENTERPRISE Market Research: the start-up experts at X-Forces explain this essential business term 22 COVER: PAUL KERR Polymath Paul Kerr on his busy life after the Royal Marines and an MS diagnosis 26 SECURITY 10 page feature of our continuing coverage of security careers and training 36 FRANCHISING What do franchisors look for in a franchisee?

40 MOTORING Jaguar XE, Caterham 7 48 CTP FACTFILE Prepare for leaving the forces with CTP’s handy service leaver’s route map 50 GET IN TOUCH

36

40

ON THE COVER

SHUTTERSTOCK

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE ANDREW NOAKES Our motoring editor testdrives the Jaguar XE and the Caterham Seven Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

SUZIE MCCAFFERTY Suzie is managing director of BFA accredited franchise consultancy Platinum Wave

ALEX COOPER Alex was the lead researcher and co-writer of the Veterans Transition Review September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 5

»Bulletin

» TARTAN DAGGER » SWALEDALE RAM » FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS » ECHO IMAGES » CHARITY ROW RESCUE » WIGHT EXERCISES

Tartan Dagger The British Army deployed AS90s in early September to Salisbury Plains Training Area to conduct Exercise Tartan Dagger.

The AS90’s will be launching close to 3000 rounds through the skies of Salisbury Plains as part of the exercise. 28/143 Battery deploy as part of this Regimental exercise.

The deployment is the final Regimental exercise of the year for the battery.

The AS90 is an armoured selfpropelled artillery piece which first saw use in the British Army back in 1993. When utilising the 39 calibre barrel the artillery piece has a range of 24.7km.

PICTURE: LA(PHOT) JOEL ROUSE - MOD CROWNCOPYRIGHT 2015

6 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

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September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 7

FOUR-LEGGED PRIVATE DERBY EARNS HIS STRIPE

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ood behaviour, not woolly thinking, has earned an Army promotion for a Regimental mascot. The Swaledale Ram, one of only seven official mascots in the British Army, hoofed it onto parade on Tuesday 1 September 2015 as the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment celebrated its Formation Day at Dale Barracks in Liverpool Road, Chester.

The ram, formerly Private Derby 30th was promoted to Lance Corporal Derby and is now entitled to wear a single stripe on his uniform.

He was resplendent in his scarlet coat with Lincoln green and gold facings, embla-

FACTOID

1858

is when the tradition of the Ram first began

zoned with the Regiment’s main Battle Honours: a replica of the India Mutiny Medal, a General Service Medal 1962 with the clasp Northern Ireland, two jubilee medals and a recent Op Tosca (Cyprus) medal. On his forehead is a silver plate embossed with the

Regimental Cap Badge.

Private Derby received his promotion from the Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier Andrew Williams.

Private Derby was accompanied by his handlers, the Ram Major, Corporal Philip Thornton (38) from Mansfield and the Ram Orderly, Private

Stuart McLean (26) from Denton, Manchester.

The tradition of the Ram dates back to 1858; the first Private Derby was acquired by the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot, during the Siege and capture of Kotah during the Indian Mutiny Campaign of 1857 – 1858.

It was a pity we weren’t able to accept his offer of several ‘thank you beers’ but we had to get back to our exercise.”

The rescue effort happened while Lyme Bay was hosting several journalists who saw the whole thing. Zhivago Jolly, the Turks and Caicos Government Press Officer,

said: “I was standing on the flight deck next to the helicopter, watching the disaster relief team prepare for the exercise when all of a sudden the crew had to rescue a local guy. It was really impressive.”

RFA Lyme Bay will be in the Caribbean until the end of the year.

Fisherman’s friends A British military team responded to a real life emergency in the middle of a beach landing exercise.

It was during a visit to Grand Turk, in the Turks and Caicos that the Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief team of RFA Lyme Bay went ashore.

In the middle of demonstrating their capability the crew of the Combat Support Boat (CSB) spotted a fisherman drifting past and out to sea unable to get the motor of his vessel to start.

Coxswain of the CSB, Lance Corporal Adrian Trevenna, Royal Logistics Corps, took immediate action and closed in on the fisherman. After a quick once over it was established that the engine mounting had been sheared

8 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

off and the only action was to tow the small boat to shore.

Trevenna said: “It was very lucky for the fisherman that we were in the area, as I doubt anyone else from ashore would have seen him drifting off. He was clearly happy to see us and he couldn’t stop thanking us after we’d towed him ashore.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»News NEWS IN BRIEF The Dreadnought 2050

FOOD FOR THOUGHTFUL ROWERS

CPL MICHAEL STRACHAN/LT MAX COSBY RN/STARTPOINT - MOD CROWN COPYRIGHT 2015

T

wo transatlantic rowers on a fundraising mission who had not eaten for 20 days since running out of supplies were given a boost by the Royal Navy who answered their distress call.

Tom Hudson and Pete Fletcher had arrived 30 miles South West of the Scilly Isles 96 days, 23 hours and 50 minutes after setting off from New York when they called the Falmouth coastguard for assistance. The pair, who had made it across the Atlantic unaided in the two-man MACPAC Challenger rowing boat, had run out of food and water and needed a boost to make the last few miles.

HMS Portland, which was operating in the area, immediately answered the call and sent her sea boat across to

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the two men loaded with three days of food, 18 litres of water, chocolate for morale and a bottle of champagne to celebrate with when they finally land. HMS Portland also provided a hot meal of soup, pasta and a thermos flask of tea. On their arrival the sailors were told that Pete and Tom had not eaten for 20 days and that they were extremely grateful for the supplies.

Chef Emma Lloyd-Williams, who was in the seaboat when it met the MACPAC challenger said: “It’s absolutely incredible what these guys are doing to raise money for the McGrath Foundation. It was humbling to be the first people the guys have seen for 97 days.” The McGrath Foundation is an Australian Breast Cancer Charity close to the hearts of the adventurers.

copyright: © Startpoint 2015

SHIP OF THE FUTURE You’ve heard of concept cars, how about a concept ship?

The Startpoint project has revealed a concept for the Navy vessel of the future. The Dreadnought 2050 is described as the pride of the Royal Navy 35 years from now.

TAKING THE CHALLENGE The services are to unite to form first all-amputee team to row the Atlantic. This year’s Row2Recovery selection marks the first time a full team of amputees has taken part in the race for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, known as the world’s toughest rowing race.

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 9

»News

T

he Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the City of London’s Army Reserve Regiment, conducted a nine-day exercise on the Isle of Wight starting on Tuesday 1st September.

The HAC is a dedicated surveillance and target acquisition (STA) regiment with a role of identifying and tracking enemy activity. The Isle of Wight offered a unique training opportunity for the regiment by providing a

challenging and unfamiliar environment compared to the remote military training areas normally used. The exercise was conducted entirely on private land with the permission and support of the landowners.

Echo from the past

S

tunning new 3D scans have emerged from the largest naval battle in history showing the final resting place of a German Flagship. Images were captured by the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo which has been visiting Jutland. Looking like a small ridge at the bottom of the North Sea these images actually show SMS Lützow, Admiral Franz von Hipper’s Flagship, scuttled during the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

In June, Echo used her state of the art sonar suite to produce an array of images from the Battle of Jutland and at the same time deployed a tidal gauge. But on her recent return to recover the tidal gauge the ship’s company tried one more time to find the elusive Derfflinger Class Battle-

cruiser. Their attempts were rewarded with these images some eight miles from Lützow’s

10 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

last known position.

HMS Echo’s Commanding Officer, Commander Phillip

HAC Senior Major Johnny Longbottom MBE said, “It’s not often that the regiment has the opportunity to train its soldiers away from the mainland and we are grateful to be extended this privilege.”

Newell, said: “These images from Lützow will ensure the ship’s final resting place is properly recognised as a war grave. They act as poignant remainder of the sacrifices made on both sides during the Great War.” SMS Lützow and her older sister Derfflinger were the largest and most powerful German Battle-cruisers at the time. Lützow suffered significant damage in the Battle of Jutland and was forced to withdraw and head back to port. However the damage was too great and in the early hours of 1 June 1916 the Lützow was scuttled after the crew abandoned ship.

HMS Echo’s images now confirm the location of her final resting place. The images of the Lützow have been provided to the UK Hydrographic Office in Taunton as well as to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

The story of the Battle of Jutland, and that of HMS Echo’s mission to uncover the wrecks, will be told in a documentary to be aired next year, 100 years on since the great clash of the Dreadnoughts.

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SHANE WILKINSON - MOD CROWN COPYRIGHT 2015

THE WIGHT STUFF

»Lost in transition

ALEX COOPER Part 1 of 3 Part 2 out next issue

In a special 3 part series, columnist Alex Cooper explores the root causes of transition problems.

Who are we?

In this column I normally take a light hearted view on how best to prepare for life outside the Armed Forces. For a special feature in three parts, we’ll be getting more serious and examining some of the underlying challenges. I’ll start, sensibly enough, at the beginning: why do we join the Armed Forces in the first place?

The popular media often compares soldiers, sailors, airpersons and veterans to the wider population with unflattering statistical contrasts in terms of behaviour, mental health, criminality, unemployment and homelessness. Is this fair? Is this true? Let’s look at the real numbers.

The forces in numbers

■■ The Armed Forces are predominantly male, white and young (aged broadly 20-35) ■■ women form 16K of the 196K regular and reserve forces ■■ There are approximately 11K ethnic minorities (less Gurkhas) ■■ The average length of service is less than 10 years (slightly more in the RAF & RN than the Army) ■■ Those with limited education are strongly represented (40% of Army recruits have, at entry, a reading age comparable to that of an 11 year old) ■■ A large proportion of recruits come from the former industrial centres of the North West, North East, central belt of Scotland and South Wales - all areas of lower than average employment, especially for the young ■■ The Armed Forces can be broken down into percentages as the Army 59%, the RAF 21% and RN 20%

We can see a large number of service people have challenges that might count against them in life. Beyond the identifiable

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why do service leavers have problems transitioning into civilian life?

Looking at the root causes

statistics, what is it that attracts particular people to a period in the forces? For some it is necessity, but this should not be over stated - the effort required to pass through basic and trade training successfully is significant, and those who lack motivation tend to ‘discharge as of right’ relatively early.

Those who, even with limited opportunities at home, succeed in joining the operational Armed Forces tend to have quite a bit more about them than those who never tried or who gave up early. Many of these go on to advance in terms of skills, education and promotion way beyond the level that

their apparent background might have predicted.

There are themes in the media which portray service personnel and veterans as passive victims of their service, suffering bravely as a result of

“THE FORCES HAVE THEIR FAIR SHARE OF NUTTERS, PSYCHOS, WEIRDOES, PERVERTS AND CRIMINALS – BUT PROBABLY NO MORE THAN ANY OTHER PART OF SOCIETY” the trauma they have suffered.

While this is true for some, especially those who have experienced especially traumatic

events, the strength of mind and character of most service personnel is generally robust and resilient. Taking social and educational background into account, those who join, pass through training and go on to conduct operations around the world, are, person for person, mentally stronger than their civilian counterparts. Sure, the forces have their fair share of nutters, psychos, weirdoes, perverts and criminals – but probably no more than any other part of society.

While serving, it’s true that odd behaviour is tolerated or even indulged far more so than in civilian life. This can cause problems in subsequent life as learned patterns of behaviour come up against ‘normal people’. It is a moot point that the way in which military culture, actively or passively, encourages embracing a sense of the ridiculous is not helpful in the long term, but it certainly helps when you have to cope with the hardest moments of battle.

Of the people who join the forces, society would write many of them off as hopeless cases from the outset. That so many go on to succeed in their military careers (and in most cases, subsequently) says quite a lot for the way the forces harness talent and shape potential.

Unfortunately, most do not have the option to serve a full working life in a setting that makes the most of their unique talents and there will come a time when they have to find their way in the big bad world.

Next month I will look at what the forces do to help (and hinder) preparation for that inevitable day.

Alex Cooper spent a middling career in the Infantry and had a great time, but wishes he had known then what he knows now about personal development, transition and resettlement. Alex was the lead researcher and cowriter of the Veterans Transition Review.

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 11

»Personal development

MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL

Shake it off > So you’re not perfect at everything. So what?

can: perhaps you need to prepare extensively before an interview next time, or brush up on your presentation skills.

But once you derive anything useful from a less-than-awesome experience, move on.

Have a little compassion… for yourself.

3

ou couldn’t go anywhere this summer without hearing Taylor Swift’s pop hit “Shake it Off.” Like it or loathe it, Ms Swift’s anthem of self-love does have a useful message.

“Shake it off” is a widely-used phrase in the USA, a place where self-help and positive thinking is considered – please brace yourself British patriot perfectly normal. You’ll hear coaches shouting it to boxers who just had the wind knocked out of them, and mothers saying it to toddlers who just tripped and fell. And though we Brits cringe at much of the American culture of positivity, we could do with taking a little bit of this advice on board. If

Y

“YOU’VE SURVIVED WORSE THAN CIVILIAN LIFE SO DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF” there’s one time in life that strikes terror in the most macho of soldiers, it’s transitioning out of a military career into civilian life. So how can you learn to take it in your stride when you trip up?

1

Expect to make mistakes

Guess what? You’re not perfect.

Neither is anyone else. Everyone at some point in their lives has fallen short of their own expectations while making a presentation, talking to a prospective employer etc. If you

12 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

score an interview for a great job, then proceed to totally flub it, join the club. Trying and sometimes failing is better than never trying at all. If you are playing it too safe to ever make a mistake, that’s the real mistake.

Learn from mistakes but don’t dwell on them 2

It’s tempting to sit and dwell on moments we messed up, playing them through in our heads over and over again as though by the power of our brains we can go back in time and say or do the perfect thing. The problem is it usually does nothing for us but bring us down.

There’s a limit to how productive reviewing past mistakes can be. Learn any lessons you

Anyone who’s been in a job for a long time – particularly in the forces where your work environment is almost like a family to you – will find it extremely tricky moving on. It’s important to have a little compassion for yourself and reserve your perfectionism for elsewhere. When you are being hard on yourself, ask yourself this question: if my close friend were going through the same thing, would I treat them like this? The answer is almost always no.

Let’s face it: you’ve survived worse than civilian life, so don’t sweat the small stuff.

Remember your strengths.

And when things don’t go exactly how you want them to, don’t obsess. Shake it off.

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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.

Find out how you can become an outstanding teacher: www.brighton.ac.uk/troops troopstoteachers@brighton.ac.uk 01273 987786

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September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 13

!X#@%

Social media detox > 8 ways to clean up your online presence for better employment prospects 14 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

f you participate in social media, it’s perfectly normal to have pictures of yourself drinking shots on holiday, a post sharing your disgust with a politician or membership of a silly group.

But how do those things look to a potential employer who is assessing your professionalism?

Social media is a big issue nowadays for job hunters.

With employers turning to the net to see what kind of potential employee you are, they are likely to see your profiles on Linkedin, Facebook and more. There are apps that will go through them and try to clean up your online act for a price, but you can do it yourself for free. Follow these 8

I

tips and detox your social media presence.

1

Status quo:

When employers browse your Facebook or Twitter page, they look at the kinds of comments and statuses you have made in order to get a better sense of how you behave online.

2

Know who your friends are:

Most employers won’t take issue with thousands of friends on Facebook, however you may want to edit it down to avoid people who might post obnoxious comments or embarrass you in some way.

3

Edit those photos:

Questionable photographs on social media sites are a big problem – and a common sight.

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»CV assistance

?

“DO YOU “ALCOHOL” ALIST OF YOUR INTE S ONE YOUR MATES RESTS? THINK IT’S MIGHT NNY, BUT IT’S NOTFU GOING TO IMPRESS EMPLOYERS”

If your photos are public, be aware of the message they send about your behavior.

4

Trim your likes, apps and groups:

can review all tags before they appear on your profile.

Do you list “Alcohol” as one of your interests? Your mates might think it’s funny, but it’s not going to impress employers.

Think about what you share in terms of interests and pursuits.

5

Include YouTube:

Many people forget about YouTube when cleaning up their online presence. If you’ve ever uploaded anything controversial, offensive or a potential infringement of a copyright, unpublish it.

6

8

Blog out:

Lots of us start blogs then abandon them. If you have Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

any old ones, watch out they aren’t still lingering live where search engines can find them.

If you are actively blogging, read/edit/delete posts according to what you want to portray professionally.

7

Restrict Tags:

After carefully editing your Facebook profile, you don’t want to be tagged in embarrassing photos that your friends post. Avoid this by adjusting your settings so you

Make your profile private:

If you don’t want employers seeing certain social media profiles, simply make them private. The exception would be LinkedIn because that is a platform for employment.

Most other platforms, aside from the inherently public twitter, allow for access to friends only. If you don’t want to entirely hide your profiles, tailor your privacy settings to restrict access to certain areas of your profile, like photo albums.

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 15

Rewarding experiences

> An MBE - and lifelong memories - for Philippines humanitarian efforts oyal Navy officer Wendy Frame was one of the first people to arrive in a country devastated by a typhoon. More than 6,300 people died when Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, and communities had been flattened in many of the outlying islands. And though her efforts were their own reward - with Frame calling it “the best experience I have had in the navy so far” - her tireless efforts were acknowledged with the presentation of an MBE by HRH the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle in July.

Lieutenant Wendy Frame was HMS Daring’s Deputy

R

Marine Engineering Officer in 2013, and was on board when the ship was sent to the Philippines in November that year to assist with the crisis.

Over nine days Daring and her crew surveyed 42,200 square miles covering more than 70 islands. They treated 300 patients and delivered 21 tonnes of stores and 7,656 litres of fresh drinking water ashore.

Wendy, who is originally from Livingston and now lives in Bristol, visited some of the worst hit islands with her team.

As well as damaging wells and destroying homes and schools across the Philippines, many boats were damaged which were the sole source of

16 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

income and fresh food for the fishing communities. On the island of Tabgun Wendy organised the repair of fishing vessels to allow the fishermen to go back to work and support their families and also constructed a makeshift desalination mechanism to provide the community with fresh water. Along with her team of engineers, Wendy also rebuilt two classrooms that had been completely destroyed on Guintacan, allowing children who had been off school since the disaster to return.

Her success impressed the locals who asked her to look at Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

LA(PHOT) KEITH MORGAN/PO(PHOT) WHEELIE A’BARROW - MOD CROWN COPYRIGHT 2015

»Veteran of note

more buildings, and she effectively delegated her team to allow more of the island’s vital infrastructure to be rebuilt.

“We had ten hours on the island so I had to make sure what we wanted to do was achievable,” she said. “The key things were getting the school back up and running to give the children focus and let the parents get on with rebuilding their houses and then on Tabgun we needed to get them fresh water – that was essential.

“For me the reactions of the people we met were something I will never forget. They saw us working out there in the heat and were trying to give us food and water and anything they had to make it more comfortable – and yet they Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

were the ones in need. It was humbling and an experience I will never forget.”

Following the presentation at Windsor Castle, Wendy said: “It was an absolutely amazing experience to meet the Princess Royal and go to Windsor Castle to collect my MBE – I still can’t quite believe it is real.

It was a privilege to be able to help the people in the

“For me the reactions of the people we met were something I will never forget” Philippines and for my team and everyone on HMS Daring to be able to put their skills to such good use.”

September/October 2015| EQUIPPED | 17

Budgeting to make the most of your money > Keeping MoneyFit can mean many things – from living within your means to saving for short and long-term goals, to having a realistic plan to pay off your debts.

et started by finding out how to set up a budget, make the most of your money, pay off debts or start saving.

G

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES

The best way to take control of your finances is to do a budget. This is a simple way of helping you understand the money going in and out of your household.

A budget shows you if you are spending more or less than you can afford. It enables you to direct your money to where it matters most, so you can stay on top of bills and start putting money towards your future goals. Here are some simple steps to prepare and use a budget.

WHY DO A BUDGET? Doing a budget helps you get off the treadmill of living from one pay packet or payment to the next. It enables you to sort out your money priorities and find the right balance between spending and saving.

SOUNDS FAMILIAR....?

Becky and Steve often argue when they go shopping because Steve likes to buy extra things while Becky wants to stick to their shopping list.

A budget lets you pay off a credit card or loan, plan better for when your big bills are due, and save up for a holiday or big purchase.

PREPARING YOUR BUDGET

Use the MoneyForce online budget planner to plan where you want your money to go.

Choose a time period for your budget that suits your lifestyle - for example, a week, a fortnight or a month.

It is helpful to look at the money going in and out across a whole year. Include regular payments such as your rent or mortgage, phone and electricity, car or public transport.

Don’t double count expenses such as rent and food, which may be deducted directly from your pay before you get it.

Your bank statements, bills, credit card statements and receipts will help you to work

18 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

out all your expenses. Use your best guess if there’s anything you can’t find or if bill amounts vary across the year.

STEVE AND BECKY AGREE TO BUDGET

To prevent any more arguments, they create a budget to work out how much they can actually afford to spend each week. They set aside £20 for extras. After this, trips to the supermarket become easier as now they both know how much they can spend.

Add in all the money that you receive or are paid over the time period. This will include your pay, and any child sup-

port payments, benefits and money from investments.

When working out your money priorities, think about which items you are committed to pay on a regular basis, things you need for your basic living expenses and which are extras or things you could maybe do without if you needed to save some money.

USING YOUR BUDGET

Print your completed budget sheet and keep it somewhere safe. Before you go to the supermarket or other shops, check your budget to see how much you can spend and then

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»Money Force

stick to that amount.

You may even want to take a calculator with you, or maybe you have one on your phone to keep track of your spending on the go. It might make shopping take a little bit longer but you will be able to stay on top of exactly where your money is going.

If you are trying to save money, look at your budget and find ways to cut back on the extras. Try and budget a specific amount for fun, leisure and personal expenses but don’t make your budget so tight that you won’t be able to stick to it.

ALEX’S BILL STRATEGY

Alex knows he has to pay bills of about £300 every quarter.

To plan for these payments, he sets aside £100 a month into a special bank account called ‘bills’. This way he is prepared when the bills are due and can use the money he has put aside It’s a good idea to redo your budget every three to six months to make sure it

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reflects your current income, spending and what you want to achieve. Once you are comfortable with using and sticking to a budget, you can update it less frequently or when your circumstances change.

You will probably also want to refresh your budget when there are significant changes to your income or expenses, like buying or selling a car or house, the extra cost of expanding your family or managing illness.

into your savings account to give it a boost.

IF YOU HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER (A SURPLUS)

MONEY FITNESS TIP

If you have extra cash – that’s great! Think about goal setting so you can plan ahead, whether it’s for a holiday or a deposit for your first home. Then check out the best way to save and invest by visiting the MoneyForce website for advice.

When you receive a pay rise, bonus, special payment or tax refund put the money straight

IF YOU’RE SPENDING MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD (A DEFICIT)

This is not the end of the world but you do need to take action to fix this. Check your budget to make sure you’ve got all the amounts right and look at your expenses to see if there are any you could reduce. What could you cut out or cut back?

The best way to save is to put money into a separate savings account as soon as you get paid and before you get a chance to spend it!

If you’re still in the red or are finding it hard to work out what to cut, get advice on dealing with debt. Or talk to your unit Welfare Office.

GETTING HELP WITH YOUR BUDGET If you have never done a budget

before, starting a budget may be pretty tough. You will find that it does get easier though. The first budget is the hardest but you will get better at it as you go along.

The best way to do a budget is to have a go yourself. If you can, get help from a trusted friend who is good with money.

Budgeting is a skill that anyone can learn. The more you do it, the easier it will be to stay on top of your money.

Get started now by using the MoneyForce budget planner.

Contact Us Moneyforce is the home of money guidance for UK Service personnel and their families. For more useful information and advice visit www.moneyforce.org.uk Other useful information for members of the Armed Forces community can be found at www.britishlegion.org.uk

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Market Research 101 > The basics of getting down to business hatever sector your business fall into and whatever your business aspirations are, one thing is crucial to its level of success. Introducing market research! Knowledge is power, and you need knowledge about the context your business will

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be working in.

What you’re trying to do with market research is basically get feedback about what the market thinks about you.

But how is this done in the competitive world of business and why is there such a buzz when it comes to market research? Here’s a beginners

20 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

guide to market research to get you started.

What is market research and why is it important?

Q

For the budding entrepreneur or the established business owner, market research should be a key feature in

their business arsenal. Market research will help you understand your customers, highlight your competition and get to know what people are prepared to pay for your product or services.

Launching a Start-up business or developing a new product is an exciting prospect Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Enterprise information you need to collect in order to answer those questions ■■ Deciding how you are going to collect the information ■■ How you are going to analyse the gathered information ■■ How are you going to use these results

This stage of how to conduct market research is critical as asking the wrong questions could lead to misleading answers which when transferred, could in turn lead to poor and misguided business decisions.

Let’s break it down

but it is important not to rush into the open marketplace without seeing where your enterprise will fit. ‘To be a success and make a profit you need to find a gap in the market to exploit’ says Emma Gunn of small business advice website Thisismoney.co.uk.

This is where you should allow market research to shed some light into the murky world of the business marketplace.

Your goal in any business venture should be to stand out and get the attention of your clients in order to generate Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

There are two main types of market research: primary and secondary research.

Primary research gathers original information directly for your purpose. It is gathered specifically for your business needs. Primary research includes; surveys, direct observations, questionnaires, interviews and focus groups.

Primary research gives you control over the type of questions you ask and information you gather. However, this process can be time consuming as well as “MARKET RES expensive and you need E A R C H WILL HELP YO to be careful not to ask UNDERSTAND U leading questions.

YOUR CUSTOMERS, Secondary HIGHLIGHT YO UR research gathers COMPETITION AND existing available GET TO KN PEOPLE AREOPW WHAT information through TO PAY FORRYEOPARED established sources.

PRODUCT ORUR This can range from SERVICES.” information on the internet, existing results looking into the marketplace and information on your combusipetitors. The Office for ness.

National Statistics is a very Therefore, taking the time to useful secondary research tool conduct research before for Start-up business owners embarking on your venture looking to conduct market will potentially save you research on a limited budget. money and time later on.

This census offers readily available information about How is it done?

Q target age groups and the area Market research is you are working within. In fundamental in business. addition, local authority webThere are five key steps in ensuring an effective process of sites detail statistics regarding community trade and the local market research. These are: population, again providing a ■■ Deciding the questions you useful resource for initial marneed to answer ket research.

■■ Understanding what

Q

When should you do it?

Market research should be conducted at the beginning of a business venture, and on an ongoing basis to help your business develop and grow over time. Successful businesses are continuously conducting market research in order to keep in line with business trends, learn from development and maintain their competitive edge within the marketplace.

Therefore, it is paramount that market research is not just a one-off activity.

Bonus: it gets your business out there!

Another less considered strand of thought surrounding market research is the promotional effect it may have on your brand or business. Conducting research into a particular consumer group and uncovering new insights can help establish you as an authority in that area.

Additionally, proactive market research is a useful method for marketing departments that wish to show they are leading the way in their field.

Conducting a study into a new area of consumer behaviour will enable better scope for guiding your marketing strategy, which again can provide a positive promotion for your business venture.

Just do it.

Market research is often neglected. However, this process should not be overlooked when both setting up your business and continuing its development.

Effective market research represents good practice in business and is a tool that can be frequently used to help improve your company.

i 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

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Do the light thing Polymath Paul Kerr on life after the Royal Marines and his non-lethal “light gun” invention

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Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Cover story aul Kerr joined Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in 1997 at 19. When he left to be an outdoor instructor, life took some unexpected twists and turns and he was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Shortly after getting the news, Paul learned he was expecting a son and he went into overdrive: today he is an author, inventor and entrepreneur, as well as activist and fundraiser for MS charities.

With a new, non-lethal dazzler weapon or “light gun” for special operations currently in development, a new book and a documentary in the works, we wanted to find out what gives this guy his energy! We caught up with Paul on a sunny afternoon at Loch Fyne to find out.

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Q

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME AS A ROYAL MARINE.

After being at CTCRM I was drafted to FPGRM as a central duties Rifle Man for 2 years. I then chose a Career in the Landing Craft Branch and this SQ (Specialised qualification) is where I stayed till the end of my time in the forces in 2003.

Q

WHY DID YOU LEAVE?

I chose to leave the Corps was when on a year draft on the Island of Diego Garcia I was offered a placement doing fisheries protection on the Island of South Georgia. I applied to leave the Corp and start the next chapter of my life.

Q

WHAT WAS YOUR TRANSITION LIKE?

At that time in life everything behind me had been secure. I’d had an income and a respected career in the Marines, this has stood by me through life as a civilian. I knew I was going to be leaving in a year so used this year to plan it out I had a job to go to on South Georgia but I had also started to build on my outdoor instructor qualifications. My home on the west coast of Scotland played a big part here as outdoor instructors are used here. The other main drive towards this next choice of career is the fact my life had always been around three themes: adventurous, physical and fast.

As I soon found out though, life does not always go to plan and in 2005 after a confusing 2 years I was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Q

HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE DIAGNOSIS?

This was a hard time, but being the person the Royal Marines had polished me into I did not take bad news lying down. I would not quit and be defeated.

My body having this problem made me an unreliable outdoor instructor, so I Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 23

started to look at what options I now had. At just that moment of uncertainty and turmoil in my life, I was touched by the hand of God: my then girlfriend became pregnant. 9 months later I was face to face with to my saviour, my newborn son Zander. This changed my focus from myself over to him at a key time. The life-changing news about my health and now my son made me start to see things through different eyes. I valued life like never before.

YOU HAD A LOT GOING ON AT ONCE. HOW DID YOUR TIME IN THE MARINES HELP YOU HANDLE THINGS? Q

At the time my son was born I couldn’t walk. But I understood from my time in the Corp that self-belief, a positive outlook, tenacity and repetition would result in a positive outcome. I taught myself how to walk again.

I needed the right mindset to do that.

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YOU HAVE SINCE GONE ON TO BE AN AUTHOR, INVENTOR AND ENTREPRENEUR. YOUR LATEST INVENTION IS A NON-LETHAL WEAPON FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COME UP WITH IT? Q

It was a response to the piracy problems in the Gulf of Aden. I knew the shipping industry quite well – I know mariners in industry and former Royal Marines now in maritime security - so I had first hand knowledge of the many, many complications they were having. From legally moving firearms from country to country, firearms being taboo on-board commercial global shipping, the many types of unstable cargo.

I wanted to develop a humane yet effective solution. I came to the point of a solution not only to the piracy problem but also a ‘threat inbound’ problem. With the use of harmless lasers, optics

and a number of other tricks we can affectively dazzle a threat to the point of them aborting their attack.

WHAT’S THE PROCESS BEEN LIKE OF BRINGING IT TO MARKET? Q

Getting the light gun patented and into development has been an education. There have been some wrong turns along the way but ethics, effectiveness and tenacity kept me going. I firmly believe that developing non-lethal weapons for these kinds of situations is the morally right thing.

YOU’VE RECENTLY WRITTEN A BOOK WHICH INCLUDES A FORWARD BY NONE OTHER THAN SIR RANULPH FIENNES. WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Q

The book is my autobiography ‘Mega Stubborn’. I wanted to write the kind of book I wished I had been around when I was first going through everything. But it also ended up being a good process for me to go through and helped me adjust to my new life.

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»Cover story

“BEING THE PERSON THE ROYAL MARIN HAD POLISHEES ME INTO I DIDD NOT TAKE BAD NEWS LYING DOWN”

Paul with his son Zander

YOU’VE BEEN PUBLIC IN YOUR ‘BATTLE’ WITH MS AND DONE FUNDRAISING. WHAT’S YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS IT TODAY? Q

Sure, I have been in some very mentally dark places but since then I have clawed back to doing the UKs 24 hour three peaks mountain challenge in 22.5 hours.

And every year I arrange a 2 mile sea swim across the Firth of Clyde!

Q

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

My story has brought me some attention in the media, and I was approached by a filmmaker who is now doing a documentary about my story. Like the book, the title will be Mega Stubborn.

Where this is going I don’t yet quite know but time will tell!

Paul Kerr’s book Mega Stubborn is published by ScruffyRed Publishing and can be ordered online at http://goo.gl/1480bv

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Special role > Help keep the rail network safe and take first step towards career in policing

Keep trains safe

Flexibility of service

Volunteer basis

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ritish Transport Police is a unique police force that covers a national remit and is responsible for policing the rail and underground networks, with the core aim of providing safe and crimefree transport.

As one of the world’s oldest police forces it has been instrumental in driving forward new techniques in policing. The first to recruit female officers, the first to deploy police dogs and the first to use technology to solve crimes, joining BTP will put you at the forefront of policing.

Over six million passenger journeys and a quarter of a million tonnes of freight pass through the rail network every day, and British Transport Police ensures that this activity is done in a secure environment.

The force covers 10,000 miles of train track and 3,000 rail depots across the UK, and making it all work, of course, are its policemen and women.

British Transport Police currently employs 5,000 across uniform and nonuniform roles – and has a Special Constable community that is 250 people and growing.

Special Constables are crucial to British Transport Police’s ability to have a more visible presence across the UK’s rail networks. As an important part of the network, Specials help to protect and serve the transport system on a volunteer basis.

Recruitment programmes for Special Constables are just as robust as other areas, and BTP is looking for dedicated, professional and motivated individuals to join its ever expanding teams. If you are looking to transfer your skills to the police force, entry as a Special Constable is an excellent step forward and provides an introduction.

The Special Constable role is a unique one as at any time you will be working alongside regular officers and Police Community Support Officers. This could be on foot or vehicle patrol, assisting at incidents on the rail network or policing major events, such as football or concerts.

Specials have the same powers as uniformed officers and are equally valued.

The training programme is as exciting and intriguing as the job and you will be provided with full equipment and uniform and be introduced to your area on your first operational shift. You will also get free travel.

Specials have flexibility of service and hours. Shift patterns will vary depending on your availability, but as a minimum you will be expected to cover at least 16 hours per month.

Service leavers can enter the force as PCs, PCSOs or Specials.

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Risk it! > Elite team offer service leavers a gateway into global profession

lex Reid runs his security company G4S with all the expertise one would expect of a former soldier with 17 years in the special forces and a track record in close protection that included looking after Tony Blair in Iraq.

His and his hand-picked team’s affinity with those they train ensures their recruits gain not just qualifications at the end of their courses, but an easy transition and a mapped out career path.

A truly global company, G4S encourages service leavers to use them as a gateway into

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security, offering the prospect of jobs within the group to many former servicemen who complete their close protection training. They have trained more than 3,000 close protection officers, and placed them throughout the industry, from entry level to leadership roles.

The G4S trainers are predominantly former SAS, all with operational experience and most with a background in private security as well, highly skilled experts in anti and counter terrorism.

They also hold professional accredited teaching qualifications, diplomas and

advanced degrees in education.

G4S runs three-week Phoenix Close Protection courses from its facilities in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, aimed at service leavers and those already operating within the industry. At the end of the training successful candidates leave with a City & Guilds Level 3 qualification and can apply for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence.

Other courses include Phoenix Close Protection, Surveillance Officer, Enhanced Security Officer, Security Guard, Security and Risk Management, and Canine Security Training.

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The company interviews every individual at the end of the course with a view to potential employment. The training division supports the firm’s business arm, G4S Risk Management, which has contracts providing protective security in, among other places, Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa.

Wendy Cheshire of G4S said: ‘Lots of guys go to hostile countries, either in oil and gas jobs or on government contracts, and after a couple of years they either develop their career paths there or decide on a change of lifestyle and return home.’

Those who opt to work in the UK can undertake surveillance training and specialise in fields such as insurance fraud, or enhanced security for critical sites (nuclear plants, for example).

Some 85 per cent of those on G4S courses are ex-services personnel (and they represent a complete cross section, said Wendy).

The rest are drawn from police forces or some form of law enforcement role.

As Alex Reid says, some trainees will have the ‘gravitas, background and experience’ for managerial careers and G4S can help them expand their horizons.

There is also a maritime business, based in Djibouti, providing anti-piracy protection in high risk seas. G4S runs a Combined Maritime Security Operator course for those with a military or naval background, experience with weapons and an understanding of the rules of force.

Since the introduction of new international standards in this area, G4S was the first provider approved by ELCAS, so service leavers can use their enhanced learning credits.

Its graduates are highly sought after in the maritime security industry worldwide and all will have the opportunity to apply for positions within G4S, with their CVs being sent out to Djibouti.

Interest from overseas has led to the establishment of a training academy in Spain, coaching Spanish speakers to meet an increasing demand for close protection experts in Latin America.

Alex Reid says those who attend G4S training courses ‘have the advantage of being trained by consummate professionals’ who can also explain the industry from first-hand experience.

He recommends setting up profiles on LinkedIn, joining G4S Risk Management Career Group on LinkedIn, and creating a profile on the G4S careers site.

‘Have the confidence to expand your outlook,’ he advises, and ‘don’t constrain yourself!’

Don’t constrain yourself

Hostile environment training

Anti-piracy protection

Expand your horizons

Trained by professionals

Enhanced security

For more information visit www.g4sspecialisttraining.com

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»Security

Take the plunge > Getting back into education after a break is easier than you think, writes Dr Amy Burrell eturning to education can feel like a daunting task. However, it is easier and more affordable than you might think, as colleges and learning providers expand their portfolio of courses and pioneer more flexible learning options.

The decision to return to education comes at all times of life, and for all sorts of reasons, including:

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■■ Re-training to change career ■■ Refreshing knowledge and skills following a career break ■■ For self-interest and/or self-esteem or personal development ■■ Keeping in touch with new developments ■■ Showing commitment and self-motivation

Whatever the reason, it is important to consider the potential challenges so these can be tackled up front, and mechanisms built in to ensure success.

Time, money, childcare, confidence... the list of concerns can feel endless. The good news is that most potential barriers can be broken down with a bit of planning and organisation. For example, selecting the right course, for the right reasons, and setting aside time to work will all be instrumental in keeping motivation high.

There are many flexible options for studying, including part-time courses, evening classes, and online learning that help fit course commitments into existing routines.

There are some actions that can be taken to ensure that returning to education is a positive experience, including:

■■ Be confident: This is the first step. Lack of confidence can be a difficult barrier to get over. You may feel too old or have been out of education too long but you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s never too late to re-train. You might also be worried you don’t have the right qualifications to get on to the course you want. Again, don’t worry. There are great courses out there that take professional qualifications and relevant work experience into account when they offer places (for Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Choose the right course

example, the University of Portsmouth’s BSc in Risk and Security Management).

■■ Choose the right course: You should have clear aims and objectives before embarking on a course, otherwise you risk reaching the end and feeling no sense of achievement.

■■ Consider the method of delivery: This is really important. Many people like face-toface courses as these provide maximum opportunities to interact with teachers and other students. However, it is really worth considering part-time and/or online learning as these courses are easier to slot in around existing commitments. It can be challenging to work alone and stay motivated, but many institutions provide support (with mentoring and online forums, for instance) which help ensure you don’t feel isolated.

■■ Think about qualification level: If you are re-training in a new sector, it is important that the course you choose is well recognised within that industry. Often this will be linked with a formal qualification; if so, ensure the course you choose will up-skill you to the appropriate level expected in your chosen sector.

■■ Concentrate on developing real skills:

Focusing on developing real world skills and knowledge is vital.

■■ Understand what needs to be done to succeed: Be clear about the level of commitment needed to complete the course.

This includes assignment obligations, meeting deadlines, and creating time to work.

■■ Get into a routine: Allocating dedicated time to work is crucial to success.

■■ Maintain a work life balance: It is important to take time out to relax to avoid burn out.

This will help keep motivation high.

Returning to education can be a challenge but with more and more courses and study options available (particularly distance learning), education is more accessible than ever. So, if you are thinking about returning to education, take a step forward; take the plunge.

Dr Amy Burrell is an associate trainer at Perpetuity Training, a company specialising in security and risk management training.

Visit www.perpetuitytraining.com

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On guard > Trained by military experts to be ready for anything SC Training’s security department is run by former British Army soldiers who have all worked in some of the most dangerous countries in the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia.

The company, one of the biggest SIA training providers in the UK, coaches veterans in close protection, door supervisor and CCTV, and FPOS (first person on scene) courses.

HSC’s security training is open to anyone to wishes to pursue a career in the security industry and become an elite close protection officer (bodyguard), a security guard, or door supervisor.

Heading the training team of military experts is Gavin Shankly, who served for 13 years in the British Army and worked as a personal bodyguard to members of the royal family, and high ranking diplomats from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the American State Department.

Gavin said: ‘We at HSC Training believe that everyone should be trained to the highest standards in security, producing better protection for businesses and to members of the public.

‘It makes no difference if you are a doorman at a night club or a bodyguard to the Prime Minister, the training people receive at HSC Training will allow them to take that immediate step into the security industry with the confidence that they have been trained by the world’s best instructors, and are ready for anything they may come across in their career.’

HSC Training’s close protection courses are run throughout the UK and offer discounts for veterans who wish to gain new SIA qualifications.

Gavin and his team run their SIA security training courses weekly, and funding is available, for those eligible, through ILA Scotland and ELCAS.

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For more information contact 0345 017 7480 or visit www.hsctraining.co.uk

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»Security

Reality check

Live firing package

> Instructors have firsthand experience in hostile environments hether you are a service leaver embarking on your new career journey or already operating within the security industry, Ronin Concepts will provide you with the awareness and specialist capabilities to operate safely and effectively in demanding and complex environments.

Delegates attending this highly intensive and realistic close protection course will leave with a First Person on Scene Btec Level 2 qualification (FPOSi) and Edexcel accredited Btec Level 3 in Close Protection.

You will also have the opportunity to attend a live firing package held in Poland at the end of the third week, where you will receive a WHCA Certificate (Weapon Handling Competency Advanced).

Ronin’s first-rate instructors are pre-

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dominantly drawn from the UK’s special forces and have many years’ experience in hostile environments. The advantage of having operational staff on the team is that all delegates get the most up-to-date information about how security companies operate and what they are looking for, as well as the current jobs climate.

Ronin Concepts delegates are highly

sought after due to the quality of instruction they receive and the excellent feedback once deployed.

For further information about courses, funding and seminars call Ronin Concepts Security Elite Ltd on 01981 251855 or visit www.roninconcepts.co.uk

‘Best decision I made’ Case study

Female CPO ex Royal Signals

I Joined the Army in 1999 and during my time in the forces I served across Europe and was also deployed as a Detachment Commander on Operation TELIC (Iraq).

After 14 successful years, I left to pursue a private security sector career within the civilian environment.

My first major decision was choosing a training provider as there are quite literally hundreds out there. After speaking to friends and mutual friends, it became apparent that employers are very interested in who you trained with as some companies are highly regarded and will definitely make a difference on your CV. I did my homework and came up with a list of the top five most highly regarded training providers. I eventually narrowed it down to two from professional recommendation and attended day seminars to get a feel for the instructors, course content, current legislation within

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the industry and what it is really like out there. This information came not only from the course providers, but also from the students who were undergoing training with those providers.

After attending the seminar I instantly knew I wanted to complete the course with Ronin Concepts Security Elite, based in Hereford. I particularly liked the honesty and enthusiasm I felt from the instructors, the thoroughness of the course content and also the feedback I received from current students.

I completed the necessary resettlement paperwork and ELCAS funding, which was made easier by the fact that Ronin Concepts has had many service leavers through the door and knew the process very well.

I attended the course and was not disappointed. It is well thought out with regards to structure, tempo of learning and feedback. There were a few late nights and you definitely have to stay on the ball, but I feel this is a good reflection of what can be expected within the

industry, and it all helps to give Ronin students that edge over the hundreds of others fighting for the same jobs.

As I opted for the Hostile Environment Close Protection course, the final stage was carried out in Poland and I must say this was my favourite part. All of the scenarios were made as realistic and safe as possible and it was refreshing to be tested in a 360 degree environment.

Since qualifying as a Female Close Protection Operator I have been employed in a number of different roles including: working as part of an established team for visiting Middle Eastern royalty; providing executive protection for a large multi-national corporation during their mid-year financial review; and working as part of an established team for visiting foreign dignitaries.

The best advice I can give to those considering a career in the security industry is to pick your training provider wisely. I am certain that my choice was the best decision I could have made.

Name withheld for security reasons

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Team effort > Rewards of civilian roles not just financial

ilplan Training’s team has been assembled from an elite group of security experts that includes drivers, experts in medical trauma and tropical medicine, and professionals at the cutting edge of security management.

Based in Lancashire, Wilplan provides a range of training, including residential courses, leading to qualifications recognised by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

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There are courses in close protection, surveillance, maritime security, advanced driving, personal safety training, first aid, firearms, conflict resolution and physical intervention, among other things.

Wilplan focuses on job opportunities, and instructors discuss employment prospects with their students.

For more information visit www.wilplantraining.co.uk

‘Well run course’

Case study

Nicholas Culshaw, 32 Ex - CPL

Nicholas Culshaw, 32, joined the Army in 1998 and left after 14 years, with decorations for service in Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Iraq. Looking for new challenges, but with no civilian

34 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

qualifications, he hoped to use the skills and experience gained as an infantryman in any future career.

Apart from skills relevant to close protection work, he was also a good communicator when he embarked on the first stage of the resettlement process by attending a Career Transition Workshop.

He then undertook close protection and ‘first person on the scene’ courses with Wilplan Training, which he found

‘very well run’, with civilian attachments, and a thorough grounding from which he could launch his job hunt.

He is now working as a deputy team leader and medic, protecting clients in the oil and gas industry in southern Iraq.

Nicholas says his colleagues are ‘a bunch of ex-military lads who are easy to work with’ and there are similarities between his current post and his Army life – the team working environment, in particular. There is one significant difference, though – the pay!

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Building for the Future

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

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PASS

THE

TEST

By Su zie

> What do Franchisors look for in a Franchisee?

36 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

M

rty affe C c

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»Franchising

SUPPORTIVE FAMILY

RESPECTS RULES

HARD WORKING GOOD AT SALES

SELF MOTIVATED

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FINCIALLY ABLE

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 37

’ve been in the franchise industry for a long time, but there seems to be a prevailing misconception that becoming a franchisee is a simple matter of picking the model you want and then paying for it. Franchisors are (and should be) very selective when it comes to choosing who does and doesn’t get to join their network; the future success of the brand depends upon it. This article looks at some of the factors franchisors look at when choosing franchisees.

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1

Can you handle selfemployment?

It’s not for everyone. If you are used to a steady salary every month, paid holidays, an expense account and sick pay, the realities of self-employment can come as quite a shock! It’s a level of responsibility that most people would rather not have.

In most franchise models, it is not just a case of doing a good job from week to week; you’ll need to learn to wear a menagerie of hats from sales and marketing to HR and credit control. And generally speaking, the more of these functions the franchisor provides for you, the more you will pay in fees.

2

Do you have the support of those closest to you?

Potential franchisees are often puzzled that franchisors involve spouses and partners in the early stages of selection, but it is incredibly important that your family is 100% behind you. When you are building your own business it’s impossible to simply leave it behind “YOU NE TO you at 5.30pm and CONSIDER HED head home without WILL WORK WOW YOU H THE thinking about it FRANCHISORIT Y again until 9am the DON’T NE TOOU BE next day. Long hours should make the NEW BEST MED A T ES , BUT YOU SHOULD are pretty much enterprise successful BE ON THE SAME PA mandatory, working and profitable.

ETHICALLY”GE weekends is common, There is little room for forgoing family holidays the 100% entrepreneur and new cars is the norm who wants to go off on until you have firmly their own direction, changing established your business and the model and ignoring made it profitable. Don’t get me wrong, the procedures. Franchisors aren’t looking for hard work and sacrifice should be robots; but following the system and well worth it in the end, but let’s just say respecting the brand are non-negotiable. an understanding partner is invaluable if not essential!

Can you sell?

4 There’s really no escaping this one when you have your own business. Sales Can you follow a system?

3 runs through the heart of any business – The secret to franchising is that the you need it to find and keep new customers, franchisor has developed a set of systems and procedures, which if followed properly borrow money from the bank, outsmart

38 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

your competitors, hire the best staff, negotiate with suppliers or property agents –the list goes on. Your franchisor will help you get better at selling, and practice as they say makes perfect, but a prospective franchisee who is terrified of sales is unlikely to make it past the first interview.

5

Do you have sufficient funds?

Banks like good franchise models, and when presented with a great business plan from a strong candidate hoping to buy a franchise they know and understand, they have been known to lend up to 70% of the total set up and purchase costs! Even with that kind of lending support, you will still need some degree of liquid capital. It’s vital that

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Franchising

franchisor and franchisee go into the venture knowing that the money is there to support the business until it is profitable.

Cash is king as they say, and a responsible and ethical franchisor will want to make sure you have what they know you will need.

6

Is it a good fit?

Lastly, the franchisor will need to be satisfied that they can work with you on a personal level and that you will integrate well into the existing network. Conflict is to be avoided at all costs in franchising. For the same reasons, you need to consider how you will work with the franchisor- you don’t need to be new best mates, but you should be on the same page ethically. If it doesn’t feel right at the beginning then my

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

best advice to both sides is to walk away.

If you are serious about investing in a franchise then like any big decision, you should go into it with your eyes wide open. There is plenty of great advice out there to help steer you in the best direction and the rewards when you get it right can be plentiful.

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

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 39

Sexy XE

Jaguar XE will claw business back from German competitors

40 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

Go Goto towww.equippedmagazine.co.uk www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťMotoring

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 41

From £26,990

You can still see faded camouflage paint on the brickwork at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull car plant. It started life as a shadow factory before the Second World War building aero engines and it was there that Land Rover production began in 1948, continuing to this day. Now Solihull has a new aluminium

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bodyshop, the largest of its kind in Europe – part of a £1.5billion investment in two vital new cars, Jaguar’s F-Pace and XE. The F-Pace SUV will hit the roads early next year, but the XE is here already. It aims to give Jaguar a genuine competitor in the compact premium saloon market, currently dominated by the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. That’s a tough ask, and Jaguar knows it: that’s why the XE bristles with

42 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

technical highlights that aim to put it ahead of the rest.

Chief amongst these is the aluminium-intensive construction, which cuts weight to the benefit of performance, fuel economy and emissions. Jaguar says the entry-level 2.0-litre diesel can return 75mpg in official tests, with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km. The engine is from a new Ingenium range, built at a brand new factory near Wolverhampton, on the other

side of Birmingham from the assembly plant. The same unit will soon be seen across Jaguar Land Rover’s product range.

While it’s not the most characterful power unit, it is smooth and reasonably refined and it certainly achieves impressive economy and emissions goals.

Even in this form the XE is a hoot to drive. The structure is very stiff, which gives the suspension the best chance to work effectively. The XE feels Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ANDREW NOAKES

Jaguar XE

»Motoring

1700 new employees at Jaguar’s Solihull plant

very solid on a bumpy road, and the precision and fluidity of its handling is ever-present.

Add the real performance and zesty character provided by the supercharged V6 petrol engine and the XE comes alive.

The 335bhp 3.0-litre comes from the excellent F-type sports car and it suits the XE well – if you’re prepared to live with its much greater thirst for fuel. In everyday driving it pulls strongly from low speed, and the eight-speed automatic Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

it’s partnered with slurs imperceptibly between ratios.

Press on a bit harder and the V6 delivers genuine pace as it snarls its way to the red line, punting the XE towards the horizon with gusto. Even in more sporting S specification the ride remains excellent.

If there’s a gripe with the XE it’s inside, where there are some ergonomic question marks: the air vents mounted low down at each end of the dash are inconvenient, and in strong

sunlight the dash itself reflects in the windscreen and makes indicator lights on the centre console invisible. Some rivals have interiors which are more enticing and feel higher quality.

The XE range includes five trim levels and four engines.

The 2.0-litre turbo diesel is available in 161bhp and 178bhp versions, and there’s a fourcylinder 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit in 161bhp, 197bhp and 237bhp forms. At the top of the range is the 3.0-litre

supercharged V6, only available in S trim starting at £44,865.

To win over buyers from its German rivals the XE has to able to match up in key areas of economy, performance and quality. But in addition it needs to offer something different to the established players, with a style and character of its own.

The good news for Jaguar, and for the 1700 new employees the company has taken on at Solihull, is that it in both areas it succeeds brilliantly.

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 43

Heritage with merit

> Caterham keeps Colin Chapman’s visionary Seven roaring into the future Caterham Seven From £15,995

If Caterham means anything to you beyond a town in Surrey, it probably brings back memories of a not-verysuccessful Formula One team that faded away a couple of years ago. But the Caterham brand was associated with rapid motoring for half a century before the F1 outfit came along, and it’s still very much a part of Britain’s niche motoring scene today. Last year exports were at a record high, and Caterham has just appointed two new dealers to deal with demand in the UK. The town and the car company are connected,

I

because it was in Caterham in Surrey that Graham Nearn established a sports car sales business which he called Caterham Cars. When Lotus decided to end production of its entry-level Seven sports car in an effort to move up-market, Caterham took over manufacture. It’s been building Sevens ever since, upgrading them continually with more powerful and more efficient engines, redeveloped suspensions and numerous detail changes.

Sevens are about as uncompromising as they come.

They’re strictly two-seaters, and if you’re above average in height or width you will struggle to fit into the slim seats of the standard car: if so you’ll

44 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

need the SV version, with a wider body offering more space. Luggage space is restricted to a narrow deck behind the seats and oddments storage in the cabin is nonexistent – unless your shirt has a top pocket. Wedge yourself in and fasten the race-style threepoint harness and you feel at one with the Seven in a way you rarely do with any other car.

It’s a feeling heightened by the Seven’s keen responses.

Though the car is tiny and built for light weight, none of the controls are particularly light in operation. Yet the Seven’s high-geared steering is razor sharp, responding to even the slightest movement. Cornering becomes more of a thought process than a physical action.

The light weight ensures that acceleration is phenomenal, regardless of which engine you choose. The entry-level 160 (the numbers are brake horsepower per tonne of car weight) has an 80bhp Suzuki engine, which doesn’t sound like much power but it screams to 60mph from rest in under seven seconds. The other end of the range is the 620R with no less than 310bhp, and the potential to sprint to 60 in less than three seconds.

Nobody would ever claim the Caterham to be a rational, practical purchase. But if you’re looking for a car to deliver ultimate driving thrills – a fourwheeled alternative to a superbike – the Caterham Seven should be on your shortlist.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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> Cars that are about to be replaced can be the best new-car bargains

Car makers launch new models with as much ballyhoo as they can muster, but they tend to send the old model off with a bang, too. Every one of these obsolescent cars the manufacturer can shift is another tiny increase in the profitability of the enormously expensive design and manufacturing project that car represented. So often the old car gets upgraded with extra kit, special features, attractive new paint colours and trim specifications, all in an attempt to attract a few more buyers before the new models come along.

That can make these ‘runout’ models exceptional bargains. You’re getting lots more for the same price – and in some cases you get a discount too, making the whole

C

deal even sweeter. But there’s another reason why these cars make good buys: they’re the best cars the manufacturer ever makes.

Building cars is a complex business and it doesn’t always go exactly the way the car maker hopes. There are snags and bugs in the system which take time to put right. The runout models come long after the mistakes have been put right and the design has been refined: they’re as good as the model will ever get, in specification and in reliability.

Of course there’s a drawback.

Go for a run-out model and you might be getting the best that model can deliver, but the reason it is being replaced is because it’s looking old, or it lacks modern technology that’s easier to incorporate into a brand new car than it is to shoe-

46 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

horn into an older model. If you want the very latest in engine technology, for the best blend of economy, emissions and performance, you’re usually better off waiting for the new model to come along.

And there’s another problem when you’re buying the last of the old model: availability is limited. Often they will be built

as a batch of cars before the production line is torn up and replaced by the facilities needed for the next car, so once they’ve sold there will be no more.

So look out for special editions that mark the end of model, because they will usually be the best-honed and offer terrific value. But if the run-out model appeals – act fast.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Small torque This month’s motoring news ■■ Ferrari has unveiled the 488 Spider, a retractable hardtop version of the 488 GTB which made its debut at the Geneva motor show in March. It uses the GTB’s turbocharged 3902cc V8 which delivers 661bhp through a sevenspeed dual-clutch transmission, enabling 0-62mph acceleration in 3.0sec and 0-124mph in 8.7sec. The roof folds back in two sections to rest flush on the engine in just 14sec.

■■ Wales Rally GB, which takes place from 12 to 15 November, has secured a further three years’ support from the Welsh government. The British round of the FIA World Rally Championship moved to Wales in 2003 and is now based at Deeside in north Wales and includes a mixture of competitive stages on Welsh forest tracks and the popular RallyFest stages which provide great spectator opportunities. Home favourite Elfyn Evans and Northern Irishman Kris Meeke will be hoping to put in good performances. See www. walesrallygb.comt ■■ Four out of 10 car buyers are so disappointed with customer service at dealerships that they take their business elsewhere, according to a survey by online car buying service Carwow. It says its service includes dealer ratings for customer satisfaction, and saves buyers an average of £3600 on each purchase. See carwow.co.uk ■■ Motorcycle Live brings the latest bikes, top two-wheel celebrities and opportunities for test rides and great special offers to the NEC in Birmingham from 28 November to 6 December.

More than 30 leading manufacturers will be there with their 2016 models, and there’s live entertainment and opportunities to ride – not just for experienced bikers but also for novices and kids. New Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Ferrari 488 Spider

Support for Wales Rally

Motorcycle fun for the whole family

Regent Street

for 2015 is FMX Live, with displays of aerial gymnastics by freestyle motocross riders. See www.motorcyclelive.co.uk ■■ Skoda has introduced the Fabia Monte Carlo, which adds a wealth of equipment to the Fabia five-door hatchback’s specification. On the outside there are 16-inch black alloy wheels, black exterior trim, fog lights, LED daytime running lights and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Inside the new model has sports seats, sports steering wheel and a cherry red centre console. Three petrol engines and two diesels are available. Prices start at £14,645 and the Fabia Monte Carlo is available from £105 a month on a 0% APR PCP deal.

■■ The Regent Street Motor Show claims to be Britain’s biggest free motor show and includes everything from pre-1905 veterans to cars of today and tomorrow.

Regent Street in London will be closed from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus for the event, which takes place on 31 October from 10.30am to 4pm. regentstreetmotorshow.com Andrew has tested everything from Citroen 2CV-powered three-wheelers to two-seat Formula 1 cars. He has written about cars in print and online, and is the author of more than a dozen motoring books. Follow him on Twitter @andrewnoakes

September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 47

»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.

T

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

48 | EQUIPPED | September/October 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?

No

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 September/October 2015 | EQUIPPED | 49

»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.

H

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 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

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.

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.

50 | EQUIPPED | September/October 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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