Military veterans will be guaranteed an interview for government jobs
7 February 2020, 12:44
Military veterans will be guaranteed an interview for jobs they apply for in the civil service under a new government scheme.
It will start later this spring with pilots being rolled out across the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, the Cabinet Office and the Home Office.
There is no time limit for how long a person has left military service and when they take the government up on a guaranteed interview.
Launched by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, the scheme plans to build on the veterans initiative launched by the Going Forward into Employment Programme last month.
The programme already helps veterans and their spouses into junior roles in the civil service, but the new scheme will take these roles to all levels.
Oliver Dowden, the minister for the Cabinet Office, said veterans should be able to continue serving their country even after active service is complete.
He said: "The end of military service should not mean an end to serving our great country.
"From teamwork to problem-solving, our veterans have incredible skills and experience that employers on civvy street, and indeed Whitehall, are crying out for.
"I want to see even more of our ex-servicemen and women join the public sector so we all benefit from their talents.
"Today we are delivering on another manifesto promise to veterans and guaranteeing interviews for civil service jobs."
Meanwhile, Johnny Mercer, the minister for defence, people and veterans, said it was "right we draw upon this talent" as members of the forces are the "brightest and the best".
He added: "Service personnel are agile, strategic and excellent team players - a guaranteed interview will shine a light on these skills and help boost job prospects."
