Career Transition Partnership
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is the official resettlement service for the Armed Forces. It provides comprehensive personal support for Service leavers who are transitioning from their military career into civilian employment, further education or retirement.
Overview
The CTP is a partnering agreement between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Reed in Partnership, a public services provider who specialise in helping transform people and their communities. The CTP provides comprehensive personal resettlement support and resources for Service leavers. It has supported more than 310,000 personnel over the past 25 years. Resettlement is an MOD entitlement available to all regular and full-time Service leavers through the CTP, with the sole aim of helping them to successfully make the transition to civilian life through new employment, re-entering education or retirement.
Eligibility
The type and amount of resettlement support available receive depends on length of Service and personal circumstances.
Core Resettlement Programme (CRP)
The CRP is available to personnel who have served for more than six years.
It is available from two years prior to discharge. Service leavers will be entitled to up to 35 days Graduated Resettlement Time (GRT) to conduct resettlement activities prior to their discharge. The number of days is dependent upon length of Service. Those over 50 years of age who have served for more than 30 years are entitled to begin their resettlement earlier.
Support from the CRP is then available for a further two years after discharge.
Employment Support Programme (ESP)
The ESP is available to personnel who have served for between four and six years.
It can be accessed from two years prior to discharge and for up to two years post-discharge.
CTP Future Horizons for Early Service Leavers (ESL)
CTP Future Horizons is available to personnel who discharge before completing four years of Service.
Support from the CTP Future Horizons is then available for two years after discharge.
CTP Assist Programme for personnel on Recovery Duties
CTP Assist is available to support personnel on Recovery Duties (PRD) and other service leavers who face significant additional challenges with the transition to a civilian career. Access is provided regardless of the time served.
CTP Assist is available as a flexible entitlement with a longer access timeline if required, depending on the nature of any medical condition and recovery pathway.
Support provided by the CTP
Successful resettlement requires clear aims, expert advice and access to the right resources and opportunities. It is vital that Service leavers take advantage of the support provided by the CTP.
The CTP helps Service leavers approach their resettlement with confidence, making sure that their destination after their Service is appropriate to their skills, knowledge, experience and aspirations – whether that is in work, in education or in retirement.
The service is delivered at ten Regional Resettlement Centres in the UK, along with the flagship Resettlement Training Centre in Aldershot, which contains purpose-built resettlement facilities.
The CTP support includes a range of expert personal advice and guidance, training courses, digital tools, resettlement events and access to specially-sourced job vacancies.
Eight available features:
1. CTP Workshops
CTP Workshops help Service leavers start their resettlement process by providing a comprehensive understanding of the support available so they can make clear and informed decisions about their future.
The workshops vary in length and content, depending on need and eligibility. Cohorts of attendees can be grouped by seniority or rank, or in mixed groups. There are five courses available:
-
Career Transition Workshop (CTW) – A two-day introduction to CTP and the digital platform, guidance on managing change, planning resettlement, skills mapping and employability activities and practical information on civilian life.
- Career Transition Workshop Plus (CTW+) – An extended five-day version of CTW that provides additional assistance and specialist support for Service leavers who would benefit – usually Service leavers using the CTP Assist programme.
-
Employment Support Workshop (ESW) – A single day course that covers specific employment related support and activities to prepare Service leavers for civilian job searching.
-
Self-Employment Awareness Workshop (SEA) – A single day course, delivered by X-Forces Enterprise on behalf of the CTP, that covers key elements for starting a business and identifying what support is on offer to help.
- Retirement Brief – A single day course that provides guidance on preparing for retirement, including developing plans, using volunteering, education and travel options, planning for social change and managing personal finances.
2. CTP Resettlement Advice
One-to-one personal support from a consultant or advisor who provides Service leavers with advice and guidance and support to develop their own Personal Resettlement Plan. They will help Service leavers identify and access relevant support and opportunities, so they can progress towards their preferred transition outcome and overcome any challenges along the way.
3. CTP Training Courses
These courses give Service leavers the opportunity to achieve commercially recognised qualifications and enhance their career opportunities. Other courses offered provide practical life skills, which are well suited to those going into retirement or self-employment.
All CTP courses are tailored to personal needs, with many having bespoke content or delivery models to assist access during the time allowed for resettlement support from the CTP.
There are several funding options available. The MOD promotes a principle of CTP First. This means for those Service leavers entitled to vocational training, where there is a CTP course available (whether contract funded or non-contract funded), these should be used before accessing external training.
Contract funded courses are pre-paid by the MOD and offer the best value for money. Non-contract funded courses are paid for either by using IRTC, ELCAS funding or by self-funding.
CTP training options include:
-
Employability and life skills: Free in-person and online workshops and webinars will help Service leavers approach the civilian jobs market with confidence. Courses cover identifying and utilising transferrable skills, CV development and interview techniques, plus other topics including self-employment advice, financial plans, retirement planning and networking.
-
Vocational qualifications (internal): CTP offers a wide range of courses to enhance the qualifications and skills gained in the military or to retrain for a new career, delivered from Regional Resettlement Centres and the Resettlement Training Centre (RTC) in Aldershot. Some of these courses offer commercially recognised qualifications. Courses cover a range of sectors including: Building, Engineering, Health & Safety, IT, Transport & Logistics, Management, Teaching & Training, Electrotechnical, Renewable Energy and Self-Employment Skills.
-
Vocational qualifications (external): Service Leavers may also take training of their choice through a network of external, civilian training organisations, provided on the MOD’s Preferred Suppliers or with external supplier outside of the Preferred Suppliers List. External training must only be accessed in accordance with the mandatory priority order of Resettlement Training Options.
4. CTP Events
Free attendance at any of nine annual CTP Employment Fairs. These are held nationwide and feature hundreds of forces friendly and carefully selected recruiting employers. The CTP also host regular Open Days and webinars with employers.
5. CTP Digital Platform
A wealth of online resettlement tools and resources are available to Service leavers anytime, anywhere through the CTP Digital Platform. These are personalised to the user through in-system recommendations to ensure their relevance to their own journey. This includes a personal resettlement dashboard, Jobs Portal and job-matching system, a wide range of online learning, resources including labour market briefings and sector guides, an interview simulator, CV store and live support chat.
6. CTP Jobs Portal
As provider of the CTP, Reed in Partnership brings over 25 years of experience matching people to jobs with a wide range of employers across the UK. Their expert team – along with the Forces Employment Charity – work with an extensive forces-friendly employer network, ensuring Service leavers get access to quality, relevant vacancies.
7. CTP Finance Briefs
Single day sessions for Service leavers to access financial awareness and long-term planning information, tax, pensions and benefits advice. Service leavers are entitled to bring a partner to these sessions. Financial Briefs are delivered in partnership with the Forces Pension Society and Lester Brunt.
8. CTP Housing Briefs
Single day sessions to help Service leavers access information about civilian housing, renting and home ownership, plus the finance implications. Housing Briefs are delivered in partnership with the Defence Transition Services.
Contact the Career Transition Partnership
For further detailed information visit: www.modctp.co.uk
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 October 2024 + show all updates
-
Updated 'Career Transition Partnership' page content.
-
Updated 'Career Transition Partnership' page content.
-
Added updated information.
-
First published.