Serco currently employs around 3,000 veterans as well as over 100 army reservists and adult cadet instructors in the UK.
We asked Kez Vellam and Kirk Mainprize, two of Serco’s many ex-forces colleagues, to share their experiences of transitioning from army to civilian work-life, and how Serco supports its veterans’ community.
Kirk had a successful career in the army, with 14 years of service as a regular and then as a reservist.
What led you to join the army, what attracted you to the profession?
Kirk: I grew up in Scarborough in a fishing family and was involved in the sea cadets from an early age. My family has a naval background - but I decided to be different and join the army! The focus on fitness and the military side suited me.
My career as both a regular and an army reservist was varied. I served in the Royal Dragoon Guards, mainly in signals and communications, did four tours of Northern Ireland; was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009/10; did a tour of the Falklands and was also deployed to the jungle warfare school in Brunei.
Image: Kirk Mainprize (far right) on tour in Afghanistan
Kez left the army in 2006 and joined Serco in 2008 as a Health and Safety Adviser. He's now Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality at Serco.
What was it like joining civvy street after 22 years in the army? Tell us about the challenges you faced and the opportunities you found within Serco.
Kez: After I got to the rank of Warrant Officer, which is a Sergeant Major, I decided that I didn’t want to progress any further in the army. It’s a big struggle when you leave. You’re faced with multiple worries – wondering what job to do, not being able to get another job, where to settle down and live. It’s having to start again and build a second career for yourself when you’ve lost your comfort blanket of your way of life in the army (and also your army accommodation) which is all provided for.
I had a certain quality of life in the army, and I was left wondering how I would maintain that. Luckily, a friend of mine rang and told me about a job as a Health and Safety Adviser that Serco were advertising for. Since I had held the post of Health and Safety Manager in my Company in the Army, I thought it would be a good fit so I applied and I was successful. Serco saw something in me back then and I have been supported, trained, and mentored along the way. I’d like to personally thank Nick Alford, Serco Group HSE Director, for being a pivotal part in that process in getting me to where I am today.
Image: Kez Vellam on tour in the Gulf
Read the rest of the interview with Kez and Kirk:
Kirk: Serco’s commitment to the armed forces covenant is really important to me. I joined Serco at the start of the pandemic after I was made redundant. Some contacts I had in the military let me know that Serco were running Covid testing centres in London, and of course at the time Serco were recruiting people to run them. The enormous job in hand suited anyone with a military background, it was fast-paced, structured, operational delivery in a crisis situation. We were mobilising 4-5 sites per week.
I believe Serco’s strong defence background and willingness to employ vets helped that situation enormously. I was given the freedom to use my talents, experience, knowledge, and expertise. It really made a mark on me and when we demobilised the Covid response I wanted to stay with Serco. I felt those people who took a chance on me had looked after me and that I had found my home. I feel and hear first-hand the respect that Serco has for veterans as an organisation and this is confirmed by the armed forces covenant pledge. What’s more, I’ve been given the opportunity to keep proving myself, progressing and advancing within the organisation. In the army you’re constantly training, that’s the mindset, and a great attitude to bring into the workplace, and I feel that suits Serco too.
Kirk: Inclusion is really important to Serco, and they’ve just launched a new Veteran and Forces network. I think this will become really important to ex-forces people working at Serco. There is a massive need for more mental health awareness and support amongst those who have served their country. I’m lucky in that I have a strong support network, I have my wife and my ex-military biker mates, and we look out for each other. A lot of vets don’t get that kind of support.
Mental health awareness is key, and wellbeing is something Serco do well. But PTSD awareness is also crucial in supporting those who are leaving the forces, we’ve often seen more, heard more, and experienced more than anyone would want to in their lifetimes.
It’s about understanding what questions to ask and what support to provide. I hope the new network helps advance the support at Serco even further. More needs to be done across the military, but support from the civilian employer you join when you leave is so needed, it’s good to know that you’re with a company who cares, they will get a lot of loyalty in return.
Kez: I took part in the March in March 10 miles for Combat Stress, which is a UK charity which provides mental health support for veterans. The help they provide really makes a difference and I personally know veterans who have been supported by Combat Stress during dark times in their lives and it’s helped them to get through it. Sadly, I’ve lost two forces friends to suicide. Back then this kind of mental health support for armed forces wasn’t as readily available as it is now. That’s why I think it’s important to get involved and do my bit to try and raise a bit of money and help boost the profile of such a great charity, so that it’s there to help other veterans when they need it the most.
I’ve also been a member of the Royal British Legion (RBL) since 1985. Like Combat Stress, the RBL does amazing work to support armed forces, and veterans throughout their lives. In a recent LinkedIn post the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) publicly thanked The Serco Foundation for supporting its Lifeworks employment programme, helping vulnerable veterans access valuable employment support around the UK.
Kirk: Personally, the most recent example I can give shows the importance of having wellbeing allies and simply asking the question “Are you OK?” I was supporting colleagues who had experienced trauma and it triggered something in me - I soon realised we all needed additional support. I reached out to the wellbeing team and the person I spoke to recognised that as an ex-forces member of staff, I might need some additional support, that extra check. Just his awareness of the possibility helped. His interventions helped the team enormously and just knowing that if I started slipping, the support was there, was amazing.
Kez: Firstly, don’t leave everything to the last minute, give yourself time to prepare. Try and stay positive and be prepared for setbacks as civvy street owes you nothing. Remain flexible; you may end up doing something completely different to what you thought you’d do, for example, I planned to be a football coach, but I ended up in health and safety!
Kirk: Look for a support network like a veterans’ foundation - plug into the wider community and they will hopefully be able to refer you to organisations like Serco with opportunities to get in and progress. A lot of people come out thinking they have nothing to offer without realising they have a host of transferable skills. So, my advice is reach out, talk to people.
