Council commits to Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Armed Forces veterans

Bridgend County Borough Council is once again signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant which pledges support to key initiatives such as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans.

This means armed forces veterans who apply for jobs within the local authority will be offered a guaranteed interview providing they meet the essential job criteria.

Individuals will be eligible if they are currently serving and are within 12 months of their discharge date or if the armed forces were their last long-term employer and no more than three years has elapsed since they left.

The scheme aims to:

• Assist veterans in overcoming barriers to finding employment
• Reduce the risk of veterans having health and wellbeing problems because of long-term unemployment
• Enhance re-employment prospects by giving veterans the chance to improve their transition back into civilian life
• Complement the re-employment support provided to veterans leaving the armed forces by the Ministry of Defence
• Help organisations to benefit from the transferable skills and qualities of veterans

Armed Forces veteran Baz Key, who now works as a Business Support Officer for the council said: “I’m grateful to the council for signing up to the scheme as it helped me to quickly find employment within an organisation which shares similar values to that of the military.

“The opportunity of an interview can often be a big stumbling block for veterans, so this scheme provides the perfect opening for many people like myself.”

As a former soldier who served with the Royal Regiment of Wales, I want to encourage more veterans to come forward and apply for roles within Bridgend County Borough Council.

Our commitment towards the Armed Forces Covenant means that former military personnel who apply for a council job are guaranteed an interview under procedures which are designed to help local veterans, serving personnel and their families adjust to civilian life. We know that many veterans will have transferable skills in areas such as leadership, management, problem solving and more. With such a valuable pool of experience to call upon, this is an ideal opportunity for demonstrating your abilities while also developing valuable interview experience.

Our council website offers more information not only about the range of jobs that are on offer, but also on how our Armed Forces Covenant can support members of the military community in areas that range from help with housing and council tax to free leisure sessions, finding places at local schools and more.

Councillor Martyn Jones, Armed Forces Champion

To view a full list of vacancies, individuals are encouraged to visit the council’s jobs page.