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Armed Forces - Employment, education and skills

Find out about the support available to assist the Armed Forces community with employment, and information on how to access adult education or training.

Employment
British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS)

BFRS helps the Armed Forces community with their transition into civilian life.

It is open to:

  • service leavers
  • reserve forces
  • veterans
  • civilian Ministry of Defence employees
  • partners and families.

The BFRS hold career events throughout the UK that bring the Armed Forces community together with employers, training providers and support services.

Find out more about the jobs, events and training courses available on the British Forces Resettlement Services website or call 024 7693 9931.

Building Better Opportunities

Hull and East Riding Citizens Advice work with those who are unemployed, helping individuals:

  • rebuild confidence
  • address underlying issues with key worker support
  • with CVs and job searching
  • find appropriate training to build their ability to find work and ultimately find a job.

This can include specific interventions of benefits, financial capability or debt advice.

Find more information on the Hull and East Riding Citizens Advice website or call 03444 111 444.

Career Transition Partnership

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is the official provider of Armed Forces resettlement.

If you leave the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force or the Royal Marines at any rank, you can benefit from resettlement support, career transition advice and training opportunities for up to two years post-discharge.

Find out more on the Career Transition Partnership website.

East Riding College

If you apply for a job vacancy at East Riding College and meet the essential criteria in the job specification, you are guaranteed an interview as an Armed Forces veteran.

East Riding College is committed to the Armed Forces Covenant and was awarded the Gold Award in August 2020 for its work towards the Ministry of Defence's Employer Recognition Scheme.

Find out more on the East Riding College website or call 0345 120 0044.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

The council is the East Riding's largest employer, with over 10,000 staff delivering more than 600 services. Working at the council not only offers hundreds of career paths, it also provides great opportunities for career development.

Find out more about opportunities available on the East Riding jobs website 'Get involved'.

Forces Families Jobs

Forces Families Jobs is the go-to place for training and employment for family members of currently serving UK military personnel.

Apply for jobs and access employment and training opportunities with organisations that are forces family friendly and understanding of the unique challenges that come with being a family member of a serving person.

Find out more on the Forces Families Jobs website.

Jobcentre Plus (Department for Work and Pensions)

All former service personnel have access to the full range of Jobcentre Plus services.

Find out more on the GOV.UK website.

To make a new claim for Jobseekers Allowance, New Style Jobseekers Allowance or Maternity Allowance, call 0800 055 6688.

To make a new claim for Universal Credit, please visit the GOV.UK website. If you need help making your claim online, call 0800 328 5644.

A person who has served in the Armed Forces for any time within the last three years, reservists, or a partner of a current or former member of the Armed Forces can be considered for early access to the Work and Health Programme, which is designed to help you find and keep a job if you're out of work.

Find out more on the GOV.UK website.

Find out about coronavirus and claiming benefits on the Department for Work and Pensions website.

Recruit for Spouses

Recruit for Spouses is dedicated to supporting, championing and assisting military spouses into gainful employment.

Find more information on the Recruit for Spouses website or call 0333 2020 996.

Reserve Forces

The reserve forces play a crucial role in national security.

Find out about becoming a reservist on the GOV.UK website.

More information about your rights and responsibilities as a reservist, and those of your employer can be found on the GOV.UK website.

RFEA (Regular Forces Employment Association) The Forces Employment Charity

RFEA provide lifelong, life-changing support, jobs and training opportunities to service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families.

Find out more on the RFEA website, call 0121 262 3058 or email info@rfea.org.uk.

RFEA has also launched a programme to help the spouses and partners of serving and ex-forces personnel into employment with the support of a dedicated family employment advisor.

The RFEA website Families Programme section has more information.

Step into Health

Step into Health supports members of the Armed Forces community gain employment in the NHS. Members of the Armed Forces community can connect to NHS organisations to set up training opportunities, clinical and general work placements, insight days and receive application support.

Step into Health is open to all service leavers, reservists, veterans, cadet force adult volunteers and the families of all of these.

Find out more on the Step into Health website.

The Poppy Factory

The Poppy Factory supports veterans with physical and mental health conditions get into employment. When veterans start in their new roles, they offer in-work support to help them and their employers make any necessary changes.

Find out more on the Poppy Factory website or call 020 8939 1837.

Transition to civilian life - communicating skills and experience to civilian employers

The Army run a programme of Transition Individual Planning and Personal Development (IPPD), that aims to ensure that service leavers are given all the relevant information needed to make an informed choice allowing a smooth transition into civilian life.

Take a look at the advice for service leavers on the Army website.

Walking with the Wounded

Walking with the Wounded supports injured Armed Forces veterans and their families, empowering them to regain their independence through employment.

Find out more on the Walking with the Wounded website.

Adult education, training and skills
Activfirst (Bridlington)

Activfirst provides a local one stop shop for employment and skills mentoring, offering participants support to overcome barriers to employment, engage with local employers to support work placements and educate participants about local support services.

Find more information and contact details on the Activfirst Hub website.

Adult learning (East Riding of Yorkshire Council)

The council offers over 1,000 courses a year, in venues all around the East Riding for those who are looking to progress in life or work.

This might be to:

  • gain new skills
  • move on at work
  • find or change employment
  • support health and well-being
  • build confidence and self-esteem
  • simply get together with others and enjoy a new learning opportunity
  • have the opportunity for an appointment with a personal advisor for advice and guidance to help identify your next steps.

Additionally, the team offer a range of employability programmes that are designed to offer personalised support to gain employment.

Find out about the adult learning courses and employability programmes on offer or call (01482) 392844.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study and take 1 to 5 years to complete depending on their level. You can apply for an apprenticeship while still at school.

To undertake an apprenticeship you must:

  • be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays
  • live in England
  • not be in full-time education.

Find out how to become an apprentice on the GOV.UK website.

Traineeships are courses that include a work placement, lasting from 6 weeks up to 6 months.

Find out more about traineeships on the GOV.UK website.

British Forces Resettlement Services

The British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) has details of thousands of training courses suitable for the Armed forces community.

Find out more on the BFRS website or call 024 7693 9931.

Career Transition Partnership

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) offers courses tailored to service leavers, which are Ministry of Defence approved.

Find more information on the CTP website.

CatZero

CatZero work with individuals and their families, often with complex underlying issues, supporting them to overcome the barriers that are preventing them moving into education, training or employment.

Opportunities exist throughout the year to undertake challenging and motivational programmes that offer participants the chance to gain qualifications and a new outlook on life; part of the challenge if appropriate is to undertake a voyage on CatZero, a 72ft Challenge Yacht.

For information on programmes available, visit the CatZero website, email info@catzero.org or call (01482) 333303.

East Riding College

East Riding College offers guidance to Armed Forces personnel and their families about their next steps on resettlement or leaving the services.

The college offers a wide range of part time and full-time provision in both further education and higher education with on-going apprenticeship opportunities across our three sites (Beverley, Bridlington and Hull). Our quality assured guidance team are available to help you with any queries.

To speak to a member of the team, call 0345 120 0044 or email guidance-services@eastridingcollege.ac.uk. You can also find out more about training opportunities on the East Riding College website.

If you are looking to use your Enhanced Learning Credits and a course you are interested in is not listed on this site, please contact us so we can work together to get you where you need to be.

You can also access a multitude of resources and guidance about training and careers on the Quest website.

Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Service (ELCAS)

If you are a veteran, you may be able to kick start a new career by accessing financial support through ELCAS. This scheme provides financial support in each of a maximum of three separate financial years for higher level learning of a nationally recognised qualification at Level 3 or above.

Find further information on the ELCAS website.

Higher Education

As a member of the Armed Forces community you can get higher education advice from the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This is also available to service children, veterans, reservists, and spouses and partners of UK Armed Forces personnel.

Find more information on the UCAS website.

Lifeworks

This support service helps veterans either move into sustainable employment, training or education; or provides advice and guidance on how to help land that dream role. It is available at zero-cost to the veteran, regardless of when, where or how long they served.

Find more information on the LifeWorks website or call 0800 319 6844.

Lifeworks Families

Lifeworks Families is a support service (at zero-cost to the participant) to help military families get the job they want. It's available to the immediate family of any serving members of the British Armed Forces, or veteran.

Find more information on the LifeWorks website or call 0800 319 6844.

The Warrior Programme

This programme enables individuals to manage their emotions and to develop resilience, focus and motivation to succeed. The programme has been developed to meet the demands and challenges experienced by past and present members of the Armed Forces and their families.

Find out more on the Warrior Programme website.

Work experience (East Riding of Yorkshire Council)

A range of work experience opportunities are available at the council and are open to everyone aged 14 years and over whether you are at school, college, university, returning to work or looking for a career change.

Find out about work experience opportunities with the council.

What other support and advice is available?

A wide range of services and support is available to help you, whatever your needs.

These pages are also useful if you support members of the Armed Forces community as part of your job, or as a friend, carer or family member.

Community and relationships

Families, children and young people

Health and wellbeing

Housing

Money advice

General advice and support

Supporting the Armed Forces community

Armed Forces Covenant

If there is something that you need help with that is not listed, or any information needs updating, please email community.covenant@eastriding.gov.uk or call (01482) 391426.

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