Your Resettlement Path Stage 2 – Planning (18–12 Months to Discharge)

Stage overview: Planning (18–12 months)

UK service leavers planning at 18–12 months to discharge is the point where broad ideas need to become a workable route. This is the stage where you narrow your options, check what training and funding are genuinely available, and build a timetable that fits your likely discharge window, service commitments and family realities. For official process guidance, the MOD’s Service Leavers’ Guide and the live Leaving the Armed Forces guidance are the best starting points.

Good Planning does not mean having every detail settled. It means having one or two realistic target directions, a clear idea of what qualifications or experience matter, a view on funding and lead times, and a simple calendar of decisions and actions. Pathfinder’s five stages of resettlement framework is useful here because it helps you focus on the next move rather than trying to solve your entire civilian future in one go.

“If I leave, I need a plan.”

 

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This stage is mainly for regular planning exits across the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Some people will move through it faster, or overlap it with later stages, because of medical discharge, short-notice exits, family issues, housing changes, location constraints or changes to discharge timing. If that is your situation, the aim is still the same: get clear on priorities, funding, timing and who can help. Decisions often feel more “real” in this stage, so it helps to allow for admin load and family discussion time rather than treating resettlement as a side task.

What to focus on in this stage

Choose one or two realistic target directions

Why it matters now: this is the point where too many options can slow you down. Civilian employers do not need your whole life plan, but you do need enough direction to choose sensible training, research the right employers and start shaping your civilian story. Pathfinder’s career paths hub and industry sectors hub can help you compare routes before you commit.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• Shortlist one primary route, one secondary route and, if helpful, one back-up route.
• Use Pathfinder career guides such as Engineering & Technical careers, Logistics & Transport, Defence & Security or Health, Safety & Environment to compare entry routes, qualifications and working patterns.
• Look at real job descriptions and note what repeats: licences, qualifications, salary ranges, locations, shift patterns and security requirements.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Trying to keep every possible route open for too long.
• Choosing a sector because it “sounds right” without checking the day-to-day reality.
• Assuming military job titles will carry across without translation.

Get clear on funding, learning credits and eligibility

Why it matters now: funding decisions affect what you can book, when you can book it and whether a course is worth doing at all. The official Service Leavers’ Guide confirms that Standard Learning Credits support smaller-scale learning, while Enhanced Learning Credits are designed to help with further and higher education qualifications. The MOD also explains that ELC funding is for nationally recognised qualifications at the relevant framework levels through approved providers. See Enhanced Learning Credits and Standard Learning Credits.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• Write down exactly what you think you are eligible for, then check it with your resettlement staff or education staff rather than relying on hearsay.
• Use Pathfinder’s education and training funding options guide to compare routes before committing your budget or credits.
• Ask three basic questions for every course: does it lead to a recognised qualification, is the provider approved where required, and does it clearly support my target direction?

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Using funding too early on a course that is interesting but not useful.
• Not checking eligibility rules, claim timing and paperwork requirements.
• Confusing “nice to have” learning with qualifications that improve employability.

Plan qualifications and course timing properly

Why it matters now: a course that looks ideal on paper may still be the wrong choice if it has long lead times, clashes with operational commitments or takes more study time than you can realistically manage. The official Career Transition Partnership guidance and the MOD’s employment support guidance both make clear that training, workshops and resettlement support can be accessed before discharge, with access and entitlements depending on service length and circumstances.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• For each target route, split qualifications into three columns: essential, advantageous and optional.
• Check course start dates, waiting lists, pre-course study, travel requirements and assessment dates before booking.
• Build your training around your likely service calendar, not the other way round.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Booking too late and finding only unsuitable dates left.
• Collecting certificates without a clear route to a civilian role.
• Trying to do too much training at once while still serving full time.

Start your CV structure and evidence bank

Why it matters now: you do not need a perfect final CV at this stage, but you do need the building blocks. Starting now makes later applications much easier and gives you time to gather strong examples rather than relying on memory. Pathfinder’s civilian-friendly CV guide, guide to structuring military experience for civilian hiring managers and transferable skills guide are useful for getting started.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• Create a simple CV skeleton with headings, dates and the main responsibilities of each role.
• Start an evidence bank with examples of leadership, planning, delivery, problem-solving, improvement and stakeholder management.
• Translate acronyms and internal terminology into plain English as you go.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Waiting until applications open before trying to explain your value.
• Using too much internal language or assuming civilian employers know your context.
• Listing duties without outcomes or proof.

Research employers and industries with a purpose

Why it matters now: planning is not only about what you want to do. It is also about understanding who hires people like you, what good employers look like, and where your target roles actually sit in the market. Pathfinder’s networking guide and civilian interview guide can help you prepare before you start speaking to employers.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• Build a shortlist of employers in your chosen region or sector and note what they repeatedly ask for.
• Look for signs of genuine support for service leavers, veterans and reservists, including Armed Forces Covenant activity and evidence of veteran hiring.
• Speak to people already doing the role if you can, especially those who have made the transition recently.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Researching only salaries and job titles, but not working patterns, travel, culture or progression.
• Assuming a well-known employer is automatically the best fit.
• Relying on one conversation or one advert as your whole evidence base.

Bring housing and location into the plan early

Why it matters now: work decisions and home decisions affect each other. A job that looks ideal may not work if the location, commute, rent, mortgage timing or partner employment picture does not stack up. Pathfinder’s housing and relocation guide and legal and resettlement admin guide are useful starting points.

Do this next (1–3 actions):

• Identify your likely locations and what those locations mean for job choice, schools, childcare, commuting and partner work.
• Use CTP housing briefs where relevant; the official guide notes that these cover civilian housing, renting, home ownership and the financial implications.
• If there is a risk of homelessness or housing instability, know the official support routes early, including Op FORTITUDE.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Leaving location and housing to “later” as though they are separate from career planning.
• Assuming your first civilian job must determine where you live.
• Ignoring the impact of commuting cost and time on salary decisions.

Your practical timeline (week-by-week or month-by-month)

Key decisions to make (and how to make them)

Which civilian direction am I actually targeting?

Base this on evidence, not mood. Compare your experience to real job descriptions, likely locations and entry requirements. Gather evidence from Pathfinder career and sector guides, CTP sector materials and employer research. Involve your partner or family where relocation or shift patterns will affect home life. Minimum viable decision: choose one direction for the next 8–12 weeks and test it properly.

Which qualifications matter, and which are optional?

Look for repeat signals across multiple adverts, sector bodies and conversations with employers. Ask whether a qualification opens doors, improves credibility or is simply a preference. Do not assume cost equals value. Minimum viable decision: commit only to the most clearly useful qualification first.

What funding can I use, and when do I need to act?

Check what you can access through SLC, ELC or other support, and what evidence, provider status and timing are required. Use official guidance rather than second-hand summaries. Minimum viable decision: identify one high-value funded course and the paperwork needed to secure it.

When should I book courses and appointments?

Work backwards from the latest realistic date, not the earliest possible date. Consider exercise schedules, leave, family commitments and study load. Minimum viable decision: book or provisionally plan the course with the longest lead time first.

How fixed is my discharge timing, and what if it shifts?

Build a plan that can survive some movement in dates. The official CTP guidance explains that resettlement support is staged and tied to service length and circumstances, so check what happens if dates move. Minimum viable decision: create a Plan B version of your next six months.

What is my location plan, and how does that affect work?

Think about rent or mortgage options, commuting, schools, childcare, partner employment and support networks. Use your preferred locations to filter employer research rather than keeping geography completely open. Minimum viable decision: choose two realistic locations and compare them properly.

How will I research employers effectively?

Use a simple method: shortlist employers, compare recurring requirements, note signs of veteran awareness, and speak to people where possible. The Armed Forces Covenant’s service leavers and veterans support pages are also useful for understanding the broader support landscape. Minimum viable decision: research 10 employers well rather than 50 badly.

Checklists and templates

30-minute checklist

• Write down your primary direction, back-up direction and likely location options.
• List your top five questions about ELC, SLC, GRT and CTP support.
• Save the official links you will use most: CTP, employment support, Leaving the Armed Forces.
• Create one folder for certificates, service records, course details and planning notes.
• Block out one regular weekly slot for resettlement admin and family planning.

If you have a partner or family member involved in the move, use this short checklist to agree what needs to be decided now and what can wait.

2-hour checklist

• Review 10 relevant job adverts and note qualifications, locations, salary ranges and working patterns.
• Compare two or three training providers and write down costs, lead times and outputs.
• Draft the structure of your civilian CV.
• Write 10 evidence-bank examples in plain English.
• Review Pathfinder’s housing and relocation guide and note your main housing questions.
• Check whether your preferred route depends on location, licences, security clearance, professional membership or civilian experience.

This stage’s core template

The Planning One-Pager

• Target direction: primary route, secondary route and back-up route.
• Qualifications: essential, useful, optional.
• Funding: which support you expect to use and what you still need to confirm.
• Timeline: key dates for appointments, course booking, family decisions and admin.
• Evidence bank: the examples you already have and what is missing.
• Location assumptions: where you are likely to live and what this means for work.
• Next three actions: dated and realistic.

This works best if you review it with a partner or family member every few weeks so decisions are visible and shared, not held in your head.

Skills translation: turning military experience into civilian value

This stage is about building a method. You are not trying to force your whole service history into civilian language in one sitting. You are building a bank of examples you can reuse in CVs, applications, networking and interviews.

• I planned and delivered work under pressure, often to fixed deadlines and changing priorities.
• I led teams in demanding environments and made sure standards were maintained.
• I managed risk, compliance and safety, not just tasks.
• I coordinated people, equipment and resources to keep operations running.
• I improved processes when conditions changed or systems failed.
• I worked with a wide range of stakeholders and kept people informed under pressure.
• I trained, coached and developed others to perform reliably.
• I handled confidential or sensitive information responsibly.
• I stayed calm and effective when things did not go to plan.
• I delivered outcomes with limited time, information or resources.

For a stronger method, use Pathfinder’s guide to structuring military experience and transferable skills guide.

Evidence bank method: for each example, note the situation, your role, your actions, the result and the proof. Proof can be a course record, appraisal point, project outcome, safety improvement, staff outcome, inspection result or delivery milestone. Aim to collect examples that show not only technical competence but judgement, responsibility and results.

Work, money, and home: what to line up now

At Planning stage, you do not need perfect certainty. You do need realistic assumptions. This is where work, money and home start to connect.

Questions to ask about work and money:

• What is the realistic entry salary for my target role in my likely location?
• What extra costs will civilian work bring: commuting, tools, childcare, clothing, travel or professional fees?
• Is a lower first salary acceptable if the progression route is strong?
• Would shift work, travel or hybrid working improve or worsen family life?
• What happens if there is a gap between discharge and first pay?

Pathfinder’s salary expectations guide can help you sense-check ranges, but always compare with live employer data in your chosen sector and location.

Questions to ask about home and location:

• Where are we likely to live, and why?
• How much commuting time and cost is realistic?
• Will partner employment or family support influence the decision more than the job market?
• What are the implications of renting first versus aiming to buy?
• Do we need to plan around schools, childcare or caring responsibilities?

Simple risk register

• Risk: discharge timing changes. Mitigation: keep a Plan B sequence and prioritise no-regrets actions.
• Risk: wrong qualification choice. Mitigation: validate with employers before booking.
• Risk: housing assumptions prove unrealistic. Mitigation: review costs and commute properly before narrowing job searches.
• Risk: family uncertainty slows progress. Mitigation: schedule short, regular planning conversations.
• Risk: admin overload. Mitigation: use one checklist, one calendar and one planning document.

Wellbeing and family: managing pressure in this stage

Pressure often rises in this stage because decisions move from theory to consequence. That does not mean something is wrong. It means resettlement is becoming real.

Signs you may be overloaded:

• You avoid small admin tasks because everything feels too big.
• You keep changing direction without new evidence.
• You feel short-tempered or flat and are struggling to switch off.
• Family conversations go round in circles because nothing feels settled.

How to build a support plan:

• Keep your options narrow enough to manage.
• Use weekly time blocks for resettlement tasks.
• Ask for help early, especially with career direction, finance awareness, housing questions and wellbeing.
• Use official support routes where needed, including the NHS Op COURAGE service for mental health support in England.

How to talk to family about uncertainty:

• Talk in terms of current assumptions, not false certainty.
• Separate “must decide now” from “review later”.
• Write down the next steps so discussions lead somewhere practical.

Using resettlement support effectively

The best use of resettlement support in this stage is practical and prepared. Turn up with questions, notes and a draft plan. You will get more value if you know what you are trying to work out.

Useful official routes include:

• Career Transition Partnership (CTP) for official resettlement support into employment, education or retirement.
• MOD employment support guidance for an overview of workshops, events and GRT-linked support.
• Leaving the Armed Forces for the wider transition picture.
• Armed Forces Covenant support for service leavers and veterans for housing, healthcare, employment and wider support signposting.

Common terms in plain English:

• CTP: the official resettlement service for the Armed Forces.
• ELC: Enhanced Learning Credits, for certain recognised further or higher-level learning.
• SLC: Standard Learning Credits, for smaller-scale educational or vocational development.
• GRT: Graduated Resettlement Time, the time allowance many service leavers use for resettlement activity before discharge. Official CTP guidance notes that this can be up to 35 days depending on service length and circumstances.

How to prepare for appointments:

• Bring your route shortlist and questions on funding, timing and qualifications.
• Bring your likely discharge window and any known constraints.
• Ask what you should do first, not just what support exists in theory.

Who may be able to help in this stage:

• Accredited training providers, who can explain course content, recognition, assessment and timing.
• Certification bodies, who can clarify whether a qualification is current, recognised and worth pursuing.
• Distance learning providers, where flexibility matters because of service commitments or family life.

What good looks like at the end of Planning

• I have a primary direction and at least one realistic back-up.
• I know which qualifications are essential and which are optional.
• I have checked funding routes, eligibility questions and likely deadlines.
• I have shortlisted training providers and thought about course timing.
• I have started a civilian CV structure and an evidence bank.
• I have researched real employers and job requirements.
• I have a working plan for housing, location and commuting assumptions.
• I know which support routes I may need for work, housing, wellbeing and admin.
• I have a calendar for next actions and decision points.

If you’re behind schedule:

1. Pick one main direction and stop trying to solve everything at once.
2. Do the no-regrets tasks first: funding clarity, evidence bank, employer research and housing assumptions.
3. Book one key resettlement appointment and turn up with written questions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know exactly what job I want at this stage?

No. You do need a sensible direction and a method for testing it.

Should I use my learning credits as soon as I can?

Not automatically. Use them where they clearly support your route and timing.

What if my discharge date changes?

Build a plan that can absorb change. Keep a Plan B and prioritise no-regrets actions.

How early should I start employer research?

Now. Planning stage is the right time to learn how sectors, roles and employers really work.

What is the best first step with CTP?

Start with the official CTP guidance and workshops, then build your personal plan from there.

Do I need a final CV now?

No. A strong structure and evidence bank are more useful at this stage than a polished final version.

How do I know whether a qualification is worth it?

Check whether it appears repeatedly in target roles and whether employers actually value it.

Should housing decisions wait until I get a job offer?

Usually not. Housing and location assumptions should shape your plan early.

What support exists if housing becomes unstable?

Official help includes Op FORTITUDE for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

What if planning is affecting my wellbeing?

Use early support. For mental health support in England, the NHS Op COURAGE service is designed for veterans, reservists and service leavers due to leave.

Next stage: what changes and what stays the same

In the next stage, the balance shifts from planning to activation. You stop mainly comparing options and start testing them more actively through applications, networking, course booking, profile building and stronger employer contact.

What stays the same is the need for focus, evidence and realistic sequencing. Carry forward your direction, your evidence bank and your calendar. Start doing more of the outward-facing work next: stronger CV drafts, better employer conversations, more targeted applications and firmer decisions on training and location.