News story

Reservists skills boost for business

Supporting reservist employees can bring big benefits to businesses by saving thousands on their training budgets.

From:
Ministry of Defence
Published
12 December 2014
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
A reservist soldier from 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh fires a machine gun during an exercise in Cyprus (library image) [Picture: Sergeant Russ Nolan, Crown copyright]

A reservist soldier from 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh

Skills training can be one of the biggest expenses that companies and organisations face.

As part of a successful career in the reserves a person will develop a broad range of skills through their military training which can help them when back in their civilian jobs.

A civilian employer would have to fork out over £8,000 on commercial civilian training to provide the same amount of development that an average reservist can gain in just 1 year of military service.

Skills gained include:

  • Leadership
  • Health and safety
  • Teamwork
  • Adaptability
  • Problem solving and decision making
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Communication Skills
Infographic showing showing the management skills a reservist can develop

A career in the armed forces reserves can provide exciting and unique opportunities but the benefits of the skills that individuals receive can be felt beyond our armed forces, and training is just one specific area that civilian employers can tap into.

BT is one of Britain’s leading advocates for supporting military personnel and recognises the value of employing Reservists.

The CEO of BT Openreach Joe Garner said:

BT has a long tradition of supporting Britain’s armed forces, including hiring around 2,000 veterans into Openreach in recent years.

We also believe that supporting reservists brings benefits to both us as employer, the individuals concerned and the wider society. The transfer of skills, knowledge and professional development is a win.

We are proud to help these courageous people have the opportunity to connect and protect Britain.

Specialist and role specific training will boost this even further, saving employers thousands of pounds.

Published 12 December 2014