Global talent acquisition and management firm, Alexander Mann Solutions, is celebrating assisting 90 ex-service personnel into roles at Deloitte by taking an oath to ensure those who have served in the armed forces are supported in their future careers…
To cement its commitment to supporting those who have served their country in securing post-service roles, Alexander Mann Solutions today signed the Armed Forces Covenant – a promise by the nation that those who serve or have served their country, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.
This pledge follows three successful years in partnership with Deloitte as part of its Military Transition and Talent Programme (DMTTP) – an initiative with the guiding principle to proactively support veterans and their families. Activity includes transition support into the workplace, recruitment and job placements, practical work experience, support for reservists, mentoring for military start-ups, and sharing best practice with other employers.
Launched in 2012, the DMTTP has, to date, seen over 1,100 ex-service personnel attend bespoke Insight Days and more than 90 leavers recruited into Deloitte; 40 of whom were hired in 2015 alone.
Deloitte was one of the first 50 companies to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, and as their outsourced recruitment partner, Alexander Mann Solutions fully embraced the DMTTP and have worked to formalise their own efforts having seen what a tremendous impact the programme has had.
Rosaleen Blair, Founder & CEO at Alexander Mann Solutions comments: “Our experience has shown that the biggest challenge for many service leavers when seeking employment is in marketing themselves and their transferable skills. We found that highly skilled and talented people were not making it through interview processes because many did not have the ability to present in this totally different environment, especially as a large proportion joined the military straight from school or university with little interview experience.”
“By signing the Armed Forces Covenant we’re cementing our commitment to helping these highly skilled individuals overcome the barriers they are facing in order to secure their professional future beyond the armed forces.”
Oliver Holland, Talent Community Consultant at Alexander Mann Solutions, and a Royal Navy Reservist, adds: “While there are many gold standard employers who specifically engage with ex-armed forces staff, there are still many businesses that are missing out on their hugely valuable expertise due to a misconception of their transferable skills.
“Service personnel and reservists have access to first class training to develop team work and leadership skills that are second to none. As a Royal Navy Reserve I have taken part in numerous leadership training courses that have helped me become the professional I am today. And the ex-service personnel I deal with in my job have incredible skills that will benefit any company, ranging from problem solving and communication to crisis and conflict management.
“And it’s not just big brands that can benefit from these individuals, SME’s will also hugely benefit from the specialist skills of these professionals. The tide has definitely turned and more employers are opening up to the idea that these individuals have business critical skills, but we need to see more initiatives such as the DMTTP and an increase in employers signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant.”