Island targets ex-armed forces to boost workforce

Diane Kelsey said misconceptions about veterans could mean Manx employers were "missing out on real talent"

Attracting former military personnel to join the Manx workforce would help to address skills shortages and fill vacancies, the government's armed forces champion has said.

An event held by the Department for Enterprise's Locate Isle of Man highlighted the range of experience held by veterans and raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Diane Kelsey MLC said candidates transitioning out of the forces could be "really valuable members of a Manx business, and to the island's community".

She said holding events to help organisations and candidates "to get to know each other better" was important as there were "perhaps misconceptions that veterans need to take orders or give orders".

Ministry of Defence (MOD) data suggests more than 14,000 individuals who held a range of ranks and roles leave the armed forces each year.

The event was held with a backdrop of the Manx government's aim of creating 5,000 new jobs by 2032 and increasing the population to 100,000 by 2037.

The Ex-Military Talent in the Workplace conference was held on Monday

The covenant commits the Manx government to "remove the disadvantages" serving in the armed forces can have with housing, health services and employment.

Kelsey, a veteran herself, said it was about "migration of good talent" and the island could be "missing out because employers don't understand what these candidates can bring".

Mark Cox left the Army after 36 years and now works for the island's healthcare operator

Mark Cox, who made the transition out of the Army into the Manx workforce, said the change had been both "challenging and rewarding".

Now general manager of medicine and urgent care for Manx Care, he said "not knowing what you're walking to everyday and the dynamic problem-solving" was something he enjoyed within his current role.

Although he took some time out to gain qualifications that would "allow me to demonstrate to employers what I capable of", he said he had "underestimated the challenge of making it to an interview".

"I was never interviewed, I was always selected, so never had to articulate to a panel why I was the right fit," Mr Cox said.

"For me it was about adapting myself to that environment whilst not losing sight of my own values."

Mr Cox said people were "so generous" by offering support and practical advice when he and his wife were relocating to the island in 2020 and the sense of community in the armed forces had been replicated in the Manx community.

Jan Cox from the MOD travelled to the island to highlight the role of the Armed Forces Covenant

The event, at Comis Hotel in Santon, highlighted challenges for veterans such as a lack of interview experience and understanding of corporate structures.

The speakers also promoted the transferable skills held by those who have served, such as problem-solving under pressure, discipline, resilience and reliability.

Jan Cox from the MOD in Merseyside said businesses signing up to the covenant sent a "really powerful statement" which could attract veterans to apply for vacancies at a time when businesses were "hungry for great employees".

Organisations would receive guidance on how to understand the qualities of the veteran hold, which would help them to understand "the depth of their experiences and how that can transfer" into their industry, she added.