- Hiring highly skilled veterans could help businesses save thousands in training costs and respond to current hiring market challenges.
- 85% of UK businesses that have employed veterans agree that increasing employment of Armed Forces veterans into organisations would help fill these skills gaps, and 86% agreed veterans display the skills needed to excel in management positions
- New initiative has been launched to encourage businesses to hire skilled veterans and support them in finding civilian roles through Op ASCEND.
Research released today by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) in the Ministry of Defence and Forces Employment Charity (FEC) reveals that UK Armed Forces veterans could bolster the UK workforce and make savings in training costs for businesses by offering highly sought-after skills and management attributes.*
The research examined the challenges UK businesses face in finding the right talent and upskilling employees. It is part of a Government drive to raise awareness of the role experienced UK Armed Forces veterans can play in filling skills gaps, and support businesses to access the veteran talent pool. It follows the launch of Op ASCEND, a service connecting businesses with veterans and their families throughout the UK, unveiled by Veterans’ Minister Alistair Carns in February 2025.
The veteran advantage for reducing training costs
The study of senior professionals involved in hiring showed that nearly half (43%) of the UK businesses surveyed are investing above £50,000 annually on upskilling employees in areas such as communication, problem solving and teamwork. 40% report investing similar amounts in management and leadership training, and more than a quarter (27%) report spending in excess of £100,000 each year in boosting their employees’ management skills.
Hiring veterans could be an innovative and practical option for employers looking to reduce training costs focused on these skills. Respondents recognised the many invaluable strengths that veterans bring to their organisations. A resounding 91% of businesses that had hired a veteran in the past year saw positive changes which impacted business performance, with the top three benefits being (among others) a stronger work ethic, better resilience and problem-solving abilities, and increased workforce discipline. When looking at managerial skills specifically, 86% of businesses that hire veterans agree they have the skills needed to excel in management positions.
Yet this opportunity for UK businesses to bring in talent who already possess these skills, and can also help to upskill current teams in these areas is being missed, with only 17% reporting they have hired veterans to their workforce.
Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, Minister of Veterans and People, said:
“Hiring veterans shouldn’t just be seen as businesses doing a good thing, rather it’s a good thing to do for business. The UK Armed Forces represents a unique training ground for civilian roles, yet organisations are still overlooking what this powerful, untapped talent solution can bring.
“Having served in the military myself I’ve seen firsthand the wide-ranging, transferrable skills that the Armed Forces offers to its exceptional Service Personnel. Hiring veterans means bringing in exceptional leadership, resilience, and problem-solving abilities as well as personal qualities that make for great employees – integrity, loyalty and self-discipline. Veterans also possess qualifications that are directly transferrable to the corporate world. It’s exactly what the UK job market needs right now, and we’d encourage employers to explore Op ASCEND to fully leverage this powerful and untapped talent pool.”
The value of soft skills in today’s market
Veterans also pose a potential solution to the market challenges employers are facing. The research found that the most common skills employers felt were missing at interview included communication, leadership and problem-solving skills. This is supported by recent research from LinkedIn, which found UK business confidence in attracting top talent has dropped, with nearly half of UK employers (45%) say that finding candidates with the right soft skills is one of their biggest hiring challenges. ***
Due to these issues, businesses are attaching a financial premium for candidates that can demonstrate these skills at interviewing stage: nearly two thirds (65%) would be willing to offer up to 30% more than the advertised salary if they displayed a good grounding in these skills.
Veterans can support employers in sourcing the right talent in the current marketplace, with 85% of UK businesses that have employed veterans and witnessed first-hand the value they bring, agreeing that increasing employment of Armed Forces veterans would help fill these skills gaps.***
Alistair Halliday, CEO of the Forces Employment Charity and former Commodore in the Royal Navy, said: “Soft skills and management and leadership attributes can be some of the hardest to recruit for, as they are often a product of one's lived experience, not necessarily because of any corporate environment. We work with so many employers that hire veterans, and they are always impressed with not only the skills and attributes they possess, but also how they translate into the civilian workplace and driving real impact and value for their businesses. Harnessing military talent is good for their bottom line.”
Cath Possamai, Talent Acquisition Director at Amazon - International Stores (EMEA; APJC; LATAM), commented: “At Amazon we hired 300 veterans in Europe in 2024, as part of a wider global commitment to hire 100,000 veterans by 2025. This isn’t a tick box for us – it’s because we strongly believe in the value that these individuals bring to our business. The skills these professionals have gained in the military seamlessly translate to a wide variety of roles within Amazon. Op ASCEND will help us to continue to identify this great talent.”
Alban Niba Ambe, a British Army veteran and optimisation manager in the Chief Security Office at Barclays, said: “Leaving the military was one of the scariest things I’ve done. Being able to access support through the Forces Employment Charity was so important in helping me build connections and find my role. A lot of veterans limit themselves when it comes to finding a civilian job because they think they have to find a like-for-like match, but you’ve got to be able to adapt and overcome. I use the skills I gained in the military every day: things like stakeholder and project management, high standards and a commitment to getting the job done. No matter where you work, these are all important things to have on your CV.”
