Learning and Development head Darren Jones is using his military background to future-proof talent at AESSEAL.
This year the company was named the top manufacturing employer of apprentices and Darren told professional recruitment firm Pratap Partnership how AES had made the journey through the Armed Forces Covenant and developed its apprenticeship scheme.
He says the stereotype of a person transitioning from a Regimental Sergeant Major role into a L&D leadership position in industry does not match the reality, and adds:
Modern military leadership is built on continuous learning, improvement and self-awareness.
“Every stage of a military career includes structured development in people leadership. It does not matter whether you are a chef, an engineer or an officer. Alongside your technical training you are continually taught how to lead people, manage teams, coach colleagues and adapt to new environments. You are expected to share knowledge, improve processes and work together as part of a wider mission. That mindset becomes ingrained.
“For employers, the real value lies in recognising the transferable skills. Hard work ethic, discipline, team building and the ability to finish what you start are absolutely central to military life. Service men and women are used to working under pressure, handling uncertainty and taking responsibility. They understand what good leadership looks like because they have lived it at every stage of their careers, often from a young age.
“When you strip away the misconceptions and look properly at the capability, you find people who are calm under pressure, committed to their colleagues, focused on delivery and keen to keep improving. These qualities are as valuable in business as they are in the military, and employers who embrace them get access to a strong and often overlooked talent pool.”
Darren said the Armed Forces Covenant, a public commitment to support the armed forces community through fair employment, provided a chance to open the door to a capable and motivated talent pool, which aligned with the values of AES and which the company followed through to Gold level.
“You need to demonstrate that your support is embedded across the organisation and that you actively promote the AFC to others. For us, that has meant being proactive. If a veteran contacts AES, I meet them, give them a site tour and help them with interview or CV preparation, even if they may not end up working here. I am also an ambassador to other businesses and offer advice on what has worked for us. That ambassador role is a key part of what takes a company into the gold space,” he said.
“The benefits for AES have been significant - we attract more service leavers with strong technical backgrounds, especially from engineering trades in the Royal Navy and British Army. We have created a simple and supportive route into employment, and we pride ourselves on being open and accessible.
The AFC reflects who we are as a business and gives people confidence that we support employees not just in their work lives, but in the whole of their lives. The AFC is not complicated, and it is not resource heavy. But the impact on recruitment, culture and community reputation is huge.
