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11 Apr 24. Prime Minister and Veterans’ Minister announce ‘OP PROSPER’ to boost veterans’ employment. The Prime Minister will meet veterans, businesses and charities today to announce dedicated employment support service.
- Prime Minister to meet veterans, businesses and charities today to announce dedicated employment support service
- New funding will support veterans into high-skilled high-paid jobs
- The Government commits to making the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran
The Prime Minister will meet veterans and businesses today [Friday] at a Veterans Connect event at a military museum, where he will launch OP PROSPER- a wraparound employment service to support veterans into work after they leave the Armed Forces.
OP PROSPER will be backed by £2.1m in new funding. The scheme will support veterans in securing high paid jobs, where they can hone the skills that they developed in the military in key sectors that are helping to boost the economy. This includes areas like cyber and digital, manufacturing, energy and financial and professional services.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The courageous men and women who have served in our Armed Forces represent the very best of our country and we must serve them as well as they have served us. They deserve our full support to thrive in civilian life and to continue contributing their incredible skills to the prosperity of our country. That is why I am proud to announce OP PROSPER, which will support veterans in securing high-skilled roles in key sectors that are helping to grow the economy.”
The Prime Minister will be joined by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer today, to meet veterans and some of the leading employers of veterans in the UK, including Deloitte, Amazon and Centrica.
Veterans’ employment in the UK is at an all-time high, at 89%, but there is more we can do. OP PROSPER will build on the support already available and will improve awareness of the skills and talents of veterans among industry and employers, to encourage businesses to hire veterans.
The initiative will also provide wrap-around support to veterans and their families, delivered by experienced employability professionals. This will make sure that they are supported to go straight into new roles or take the next step in their existing career.
In 2022, the Government introduced a 12-month National Insurance relief for employers hiring veterans into their first role after service, which has been extended for another year. This tax incentive gives businesses potential savings of up to £6,200 per employee, while also allowing them to benefit from the fantastic skills and experience that veterans bring.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said: “Our veterans leave the military with an abundance of skills, and the tenacity and drive to continue achieving greatness. But for too long, too many have ended up in jobs that don’t fully harness their talents and abilities. That is why we’re introducing Op Prosper. By connecting veterans with employers, engaging industry bodies on the importance of hiring veterans, and strengthening their qualifications and skills, this Government will ensure more ex-servicemen and women are securing high quality and fulfilling employment. Hiring a veteran is one of the best business decisions a company can make, and OP PROSPER will help ensure this is realised by all employers across the country.”
The Government has committed to make the UK the best place in the world for veterans, providing an additional £33 million in funding to support veterans over the next three years, with a further £10m announced in the 2023 Autumn statement for veterans’ healthcare. In 2021, Op Courage was launched as a bespoke mental health support for veterans supported by professionals who are from or have experience of working with the military community, and over 30,000 veterans have used this service to date.
Earlier this year the government launched a new digital service enabling veterans to verify their veteran status and apply for a Veteran Card, streamlining the process to access veteran-specific support. Since the project launched, almost 100,000 Veteran Cards have been issued.
The Veteran Card provides veterans with a clear recognition of service, a tangible link to the Armed Forces, and allows them to easily verify their veteran status to access support and services from government, charities, and local authorities.
This government established the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to better coordinate veterans’ policy, bring together and improve our knowledge of veterans, and provide dedicated policy work on veterans. In October last year, the Government launched a consultation to gather views from veterans and intends to publish the first ever draft Veterans Bill outlining how we could legislate to ensure that the progress made in recent years to transform veterans’ care in this country is secured. With the Veterans’ Strategy at its core, this will maintain the momentum on our ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Chris Recchia, partner at Deloitte, lead for the firm’s Military Transition and Talent Programme and founder of the VeteransWork Employment Campaign, said:
At Deloitte, we’ve helped influence over 7,000 veterans’ transition journeys in the last 12 years, whilst helping to evolve the veteran narrative and make the UK the best place to be a veteran.
There are tangible benefits of having veterans in an organisation and making it a business imperative to do so, as they possess relevant transferrable skills, a positive attitude, resilience and an ability to make culture enhancing contributions not only here at Deloitte, but in the finance and professional services sector and the wider UK workforce.
James Cameron, CEO of Mission Community, said: “We are delighted to have been announced by the Prime Minister as one of the grant-awarded organisations for Op PROSPER leading on the delivery of sector initiatives. Building on the success of the Armed Forces engagement initiatives in Automotive and in Renewables, we welcome government reinforcement of our strategic work with trade bodies and leading companies making the commercial and social value case for Armed Forces community engagement. Since 2019, this top-down approach empowers industry as champions for this cause, helping us create a community of communities, supporting our veterans and their families by positively influencing the kinds of cultures and behaviours they will find within sectors.”
Alistair Halliday, Chief Exec, Forces Employment Charity, said: “We are excited that Op PROSPER supports us in developing and extending our specialist knowledge and understanding to bridge the gap between military life and civilian employment and work in partnership with hundreds of employers who, like us, respect and value the unique qualities and abilities of all those who have served and their families.”
Veterans and their families will be able to come to the Forces Employment Charity and receive free 121 support from our specialist career advisors to explore new job opportunities that will enhance success and prosperity for themselves and their families, regardless of their background or where they are based in the UK.
More information
- If you are interested in developing an Armed Forces Engagement Strategy, or are an industry or professional body, please contact
- If you are an employer who would like to learn more about Op PROSPER, please complete the Register your Interest form or email with any questions.
- If you are a veteran or member of the military community and would like to learn more about Op PROSPER please register with Forces Employment Charity or call their Veteran Support Team on 0121 262 3058 (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
10 Apr 24. ‘Best Job Ever’: Embry‑Riddle’s SkillBridge Program Steers Military Vets Toward New Careers in Aviation Maintenance After serving nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Juan Teodoro Paredes was ready to embark on a new career, and he credits the AMT SkillBridge program at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University for helping him land his dream job.
Paredes, who in 2022 completed the SkillBridge program hosted by Embry‑Riddle’s Worldwide Campus, currently works for Air Methods Corporation as an aviation maintenance technician servicing Rady Children’s Hospital.
“Things couldn’t have worked out better,” said Paredes, who lives with his wife and four young children in Temecula, California. “This is the best job ever. It has allowed me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my family and have a stable paycheck working within the aviation and medical community.”
The AMT SkillBridge program at Embry‑Riddle is a nine-week, full-time program designed to train and place students in aviation maintenance technician careers. Graduates earn an Aviation Maintenance Certificate (B-737). Students eligible for the program include military service members who are within six months of separation or retirement, plus recently transitioned veterans with an honorable discharge and military spouses.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Pardes had worked as a helicopter mechanic for most of his time in the Marines. After moving to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, he supported the Huey and Cobra helicopter programs, steadily progressing in his unit.
“I realized to get a well-paying job, you need your Airframe and Powerplant Certificate through the FAA,” he said. “My SkillBridge program instructor Dwayne Lewis motivated me and gave me the framework to go on to get my Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant certification.”
Lewis, who died in October 2023, was an Eagle for more than 20 years and was well-liked throughout the university, said Dr. Nicole Bier, assistant professor in the College of Aviation at Embry‑Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.
Paredes said Lewis took students on field trips to local aviation facilities and generously offered advice.
“I completed the process of obtaining my Airframe and Powerplant Certificate in under three weeks because of his encouragement,” said Paredes. “He definitely was a big motivating factor and took me under his wing to help me through the process.”
Looking back, Paredes said SkillBridge helped him find a new career path after the military.
“Embry‑Riddle provided me with the environment to pursue my goals to continue within aviation,” said Paredes.
Paredes’ story is not unique. For Renee Peaper, who served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, the SkillBridge program was also crucial to transitioning into civilian life.
“I like the physical aspect of aviation maintenance, getting my hands dirty,” said Peaper, who worked in aircraft structural maintenance in the military.
She was also pursuing an Associate in Science in Aviation Maintenance at Embry‑Riddle’s Worldwide Campus when she enrolled in Skillbridge. “It was a no-brainer.”
With a 17-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son, she said she was even more excited when she realized she could do the program completely online from her home in Camden, South Carolina. She completed the program in March 2023. Next, she’s hoping to find an AMT job in Greenville, South Carolina.
Media Contact:
Melanie Stawicki Azam, Senior Communications Officer, News & Media Relations, Embry-Riddle, (386) 323.5092/
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.
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SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. In 2020, our teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 79,000 people in need, the currently serving (both regulars and reserves), veterans from the Second World War and those who have served in more recent conflicts, as well as their families. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us.
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/about-us
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/support-us
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