NMiTE supports Armed Forces veterans with Career Transition Showcase

Above: (left to right) Nay Nicholas (Cyclopz), Dr Mils Hills (Visiting Professor), Guy Batchelor (Minerva Elite), Samantha Lewis (NMiTE Head of HR and CPD), Rachel Batchelor (Minerva Elite), Kevin Mann (Level Peaks), Jesse Norman (Hereford MP), Sean Colsey (Minerva Elite), Paul Vicary (XCalibre), Marty Rae (XCalibre), Mark Smith (Level Peaks) and Elena Rodriguez-Falcon.

Right: Air Vice Marshal Mike Smart.
Courtesy

NMiTE, which aims to become a university for and of the future, will also deliver a new age of engineering-related education to professionals through its CPD series, and has been working closely with the military and veteran communities in Hereford and beyond. It launched its Defence & Security CPD (Continuing Professional Development) series with 3CDSG (Three Counties Defence & Security Group) as Anchor Partner and has received confirmation of an Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award from the Ministry of Defence.
 
The ERS award recognises NMiTE’s support of the Armed Forces family and its encouragement of others to do the same. In line with this NMiTE arranged for its Employer Partners;Avara, X-Calibre Mental Health, Minerva Elite, Green Dragon and Cyclopz to publicly sign the Armed Forces Covenant at The Green Dragon.

The event communicated opportunities currently available to recent military leavers and those transitioning out of the Armed Forces. In addition to learning how NMiTE can support veterans, they were able to explore a range of exhibition stands hosted by local employers, including businesses set up by veteran entrepreneurs.
 
NMiTE’s Steven Haines said: “For the first six years following the end of my 25-year military career, I ended up contracting. My current job at NMiTE however is a classic example of transferable skills enabling a veteran to enjoy a significant career change, and I am passionate about helping other veterans explore similar opportunities for change and development. The CPD programmes NMiTE is launching, as well as the relationships we are building with likeminded local employers will go a long way in delivering this.”
 
Paul Vicary and Marty Rae, Co-founders, X-calibre Mental Health said: “After serving for 33 years and 28 years respectively in the Armed Forces, we co-founded X-Calibre Mental Health using the entrepreneurial skills we developed during our service. Having identified a gap in the market for delivering consultancy and training to create a positive Mental Health culture for improved operational efficiency, we are able to use our unique position as veterans to bring this to all workplaces. We fully support all activities, such as NMiTE’s Career Transition event, that open up opportunities for other veterans.”
 
Guy Bachelor, Founder, Minerva Elite said: “Minerva Elite was created in response to my personal feeling that I could have been better supported in my career transition post Forces. We are very proud of the fact that over 50% of people currently taking our Masters level qualifications in business are veterans. We will also be providing leadership and management training to NMiTE students in the future. From experience I know that resettling from military into civilian life is a lengthy process, and so am very much aligned with NMiTE’s lifelong learning ethos to allow veterans to access new avenues of employment.”
 
At the event, NMiTE announced that Level Peaks, a veteran-owned business that supplies world class systems and tactical capabilities to UK Ministry of Defence, UK Police Forces, a range of NATO military forces and specialists has signed up as Employer Partner to NMiTE and has kindly donated £10,000 to the Pioneer Fund.
 
Since meeting former Minister for Defence People and Veterans, The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood in May, Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Defence People and Veterans), Johnny Mercer MP said: “Veterans make a huge contribution to businesses across the country and it’s fantastic to see a record breaking number of organisations recognised for their support. We’re working closely with businesses to help them further understand the huge value that veterans, reservists and military spouses can bring to their organisation.”
 
Over the coming months NMiTE will launch a total of eight CPD courses, each with an Anchor Partner business. The Defence & Security CPD with 3CDSG as Anchor Partner for example has been specifically developed to help Armed Forces leavers increase their future career opportunities and will cover a diverse range of topics, from global corruption to energy demand. Anyone with an interest can sign up by contacting NMiTE’s CPD team at cpd@nmite.ac.uk
 
NMiTE will formally receive its ERS award on 31st October 2019 at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.