Each year, thousands of men and women leave the Armed Forces with a wealth of experience, resilience and leadership. Yet too many face unnecessary barriers when transitioning into civilian employment, despite having the very qualities our public services depend on.
While most UK veterans successfully move into employment, many face challenges translating their military experience into civilian roles that fully reflect their skills. Employers may not recognise transferable capabilities, and veterans themselves can struggle to articulate how their experience fits civilian job requirements. As a result, over half1 report taking jobs below their previous level of responsibility or expertise, leading to widespread underemployment rather than outright unemployment.
This mismatch has wider consequences beyond the individual. For veterans, it can affect income, career progression and sense of purpose; for families, it can create financial strain and instability during transition. At a national level, it represents a missed economic opportunity, with highly trained individuals not contributing at their full potential, reducing productivity and tax contributions while skills shortages persist across key sectors.
At Serco, through our Pathways programme and in partnership with Walking With The Wounded (WWTW), we are working to change that.
1 Employment, skills and volunteering, UK armed forces veterans, UK: Veterans’ Survey 2022
Published 23 April 2025
A transition that goes beyond employment
For many veterans, leaving the Armed Forces isn't just a change of job. It's a fundamental shift in identity, purpose and structure - one that brings real challenges:
- navigating civilian recruitment
- translating military experience into recognised skills
- and managing wellbeing through uncertainty.
These challenges rarely affect the individual alone; they flow through to families and communities.
This is where expert, tailored support is essential. WWTW’s model recognises that sustainable employment is not achieved through job matching alone, but through rebuilding confidence, addressing underlying challenges and supporting the whole person.
"For many veterans, the transition to civvy life is a smooth process but for a small but significant minority, it was a real struggle. The journey isn't just about finding a job, it's about rediscovering purpose. The partnership we have with Serco through their Pathways programme provides a platform for this. With the right career opportunities facilitated through a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans and their families, and reinforced with our tailored mentoring and support, we see people rebuild their confidence and move forward with their lives via Pathways."
Joel Oxberry
Deputy CEO
Walking With The Wounded
A strategic opportunity, not just a social responsibility
Veteran employment is often framed as a social responsibility. It is that, but it is also a strategic opportunity.
Veterans bring:
- Strong leadership and teamwork
- Discipline and accountability
- The ability to operate under pressure
- A deep sense of service
These are precisely the transferable skills and qualities required to deliver high-quality public services, whether in justice, defence, transport or any other central or frontline services and operations.
At a time when many sectors face skills shortages and recruitment challenges, veteran talent represents an underutilised workforce solution.
Inclusive recruitment is not simply about widening access. It is about recognising value that already exists and enabling it to thrive.
Supporting veterans into employment helps address workforce gaps, strengthens operational performance, and builds more resilient organisations.
The Pathways difference: turning intent into outcomes
Removing barriers to employment requires much more than good intentions, it requires structure, support and the right partnerships.
Through Pathways and the springboard of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme for military service leavers and their families, we work with trusted partners like WWTW to reach talented individuals, provide fair and inclusive recruitment, and offer tailored mentoring and onboarding - with a deliberate focus on long-term retention and career progression, not short-term placements.
Why partnership makes the difference
Stewart Gruffyd-Jones, Head of Social Impact for Serco, is driving Serco’s strategic partnerships like WWTW. He says:
“No single organisation can navigate the complexities of veteran transition alone. Our partnership with WWTW brings together complementary strengths: their deep expertise in mental health, employment readiness and care coordination, combined with Serco's scale and access to meaningful roles across essential public services. Together, we bridge the gap between potential and opportunity – delivering jobs and skills to those that face barriers to employment and supporting communities across the country. This is what real social impact looks like.”
The impact: for people, services and society
Our focus is not just on getting people into roles, but on helping them build lasting, meaningful careers, because sustainable employment is what drives real impact for individuals, organisations and society. So, the results are felt at every level.
Veterans gain meaningful careers, financial stability and renewed purpose. Public services benefit from skilled, motivated employees and stronger retention. And communities become more connected and resilient.
This is what real social impact looks like - not a box ticking activity, but lasting change.
As demand for skilled people across public services grows, the case for scaling this partnership-led model is clear. Veterans have already demonstrated their commitment to serving others. It is our responsibility to provide a platform for them to realise their potential in civilian employment.