IET: New help for Armed Forces personnel facing redundancy

Today, as hundreds of redundancy notices are issued to Armed Forces personnel, Europe’s largest engineers’ organisation is launching a scheme to help them gain new qualifications, access training and find alternative jobs.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is launching a special package to support Service leavers in working towards professional qualifications and provide access to the latest engineering and technology jobs.

Tricia Johnson, IET Armed Forces Development Manager, said: “We wanted to get involved and help those in our Armed Forces who are facing redundancy in their resettlement to civilian life and to recognise the debt society owes them.

“Through this special discounted membership package we will support engineers, IT professionals and technicians and help them gain a professional qualification such as Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, Engineering Technician or ICT Technician. This will greatly assist them in finding employment as it provides external recognition of the transferable skills they have achieved.”

Also part of the special package will be access to the IET’s training courses, support from the IET’s benevolent fund (IET Connect) as well as networking, mentoring and job opportunities.

The IET has a longstanding relationship with the Ministry of Defence and an agreement with the Career Transition Partnership, which helps approximately 15,000 Service leavers each year to prepare for resettlement and smooth their transition from the Forces into civilian work.

In October 2010 as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review the Ministry of Defence announced that it would be reducing the number of military personnel by 17,000. The cuts will be across all three Services between now and 2015.

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Notes to Editors
Interview and filming opportunities are available with IET spokespersons
The IET is Europe’s largest professional body of engineers with over 150,000 members in 127 countries
For more information, visit www.theiet.org
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Media enquiries to:
Robert Beahan, Press Officer
T: +44 (0)1438 767336
M: +44 (0)7595 400912
E: rbeahan@theiet.org