Case Studies

ANDREW DAVIES

Andrew is an ex-para trained RAF Regiment Gunner, II Parachute Squadron, who left service in 1995. For the following twenty years, Andrew struggled to fully complete his transition and became a long-term HGV driver. In 2015, he resolved to achieve better things and sought the help of a Career Coach at Hire A Hero. Julia Moore was partnered with Andrew and, together with Gerry Hill and Nigel Thomas (Blue Mountain Group), a new career as a Close Protection Officer was targeted. Julia was also able to call upon her husband, Terry, to provide additional support.  Three years later Andrew has now achieved his SIA Close Protection qualification and is working for a London-based client. He also raised over £1,000 for Hire a Hero by carrying a 42lb Bergen at the Merthyr Half-Marathon in 2016.  Andrew says “I am a changed man. The support and friendship I have received from Hire A Hero have been totally life-changing. I am now moving forward with my new life and am forever indebted to Gerry, Nigel, Julia and Terry for all their support.” Gerry Hill commented “This is a prime example of how Hire A Hero can support service leavers. We have a great network of volunteers who are ready to help service leavers”.

ANDREW FARQUHAR

Andrew served 25 years in the Army and met Hire a Hero at a CTP Employment Fair in Scotland. After an initial chat with the team, he was quickly put in touch with one of our Career Coaches. Andrews shares this about his experience with Career Coach, Annalie: "Annalie was a blessing that came to me at a vital time. She helped me prioritise what was important to me in my life and professionally. She helped guide me away from an unhappy workplace and gave me tasks and goals to make me feel good about myself again, giving me back that sense of belief that I once had, and eliminating any self-doubt that I may of have had.  Her coaching was immense and was something I looked forward too. It was the start of my journey to achieving a project manager position. Annalie’s professional networking enabled me to connect with companies that were looking for my skill set.  Providing me with a foundation for my growth, and success in the future.

CHRISTOPHER CHAPPLE

"I am an ex British Army Combat Medical Technician (CMT) Class 1 & a Battlefield Casualty Drills Instructor. I left the armed forces to better myself and went to university where I gained a Foundation degree in Science (FdSc) with Honours and a specialist Honours degree in Science (BSc). I also have extensive managerial experience and I even have experience in the financial services industry. "Unfortunately besides all of these achievements and despite all of my best efforts I had been unable to secure a meaningful and worthwhile career. I was running out of options and had nowhere else to turn. I didn't know what to do and needed to be pointed me in the right direction. "Since working with my Hire a Hero Career Coach on my covering letter & CV I have had quite a few interviews offers. It hasn't been easy though having a military mindset. I didn't understand why employers could not just accept my qualifications & experience for what they are, but my Career Coach has really helped me to understand that you have to sell your qualifications & experience to give you the best chance of employment."

RYAN FITZGERALD

"My name is Ryan Fitzgerald I am an ex-infantryman. "In 2004 I left the army after 8 years service, I was unsure of what job I wanted I just knew I didn’t want to join the family business in construction. Over the last 11 years, I have had several jobs from security to I.T. and also picking up charity bags off the streets. This was the point I thought to myself I need to work for me and my family not someone else. "After countless hours looking at different courses and what the potential earnings could be from starting my own business I chose Locksmithing. I was getting the run around until I found Hire a Hero. They put me in touch with Mr Martin Lewis. He would be my Career Coach. "I met with Martin at a service station for a coffee and explained that I had set in my mind that I would be a locksmith, owning my own business within a year. Something must have clicked with Martin because he said he would help me and guide me to be a successful business and he has. "I attended my course in April 2015 I am now a qualified advanced locksmith. I have my own business, my own sign was written van and I have several lads working for and with me. The business has also developed to include maintenance and CCTV installation. "This has all happened in 5 months! I owe all of this to Mr Martin Lewis for his help and my wife Gemma for her patients.

HAGEN FRANCIS

Hagen left the Army in 2013 having served eight years in the Royal Logistics Corps. Hagen talks to Hire a Hero TV about the ways in which the charity's mentoring programme has helped his transition from service to civilian life. See it here: Hire a Hero TV - Hagen Francis.

STEVE GILLSON

"I joined the Army at 18 and served with the Intelligence Corps, my role required responsibility and I took huge pride in my work. When I left I failed to gain a simple interview and felt like the army was a dirty word to employers. "I eventually resorted to washing cars for cash, a huge blow to my self-esteem. "My first real job with Jewson was tidying the yard. Now I manage sales for the entire London region. I built my career with hard work determination. I hope that by working together with Hire a Hero others can benefit from the helping hand I didn't have."

RIFLEMAN PETER GALLANT

For seven long and frustrating months following his departure from the Army, Rifleman Peter Gallant remained unemployed and was finding it increasingly difficult to even reach the interview stage in his job applications. Employers just did not seem to recognise Peter's transferable skills. Peter recalls his experience of finding work with the assistance of Hire a Hero: "I was really uninspired by my job hunt - in fact, I thought I'd never find something, it seemed hopeless. Hire a Hero quickly sussed out what I'd be good at and found me a job that suited my skills, I was really impressed."

DAVID COOPER

"I left the Army after 22 years service, rising to the rank of W02 in the Royal Engineers. Whilst I knew I had a lot to offer, out of 110 letters of application I gained just one interview(!). On reflection, I now realise I had no real idea about how the business world worked, the language it uses or more importantly how to get the break needed to get past (and disprove) the pre-conceived ideas many employers hold of ex-service personnel. "My break came from the Managing Director of a small training company who took the time to look through my military style exterior and gave me the opportunity and space to adapt my skills into a new way of working. "Today, 11 years on, I am a Director of a business that has provided hundreds of 360-degree feedback survey tools to medium and large organisations in 17 different languages across the world and I am grateful for that one interview and the opportunities it gave me." David now works as a Career Coach with Hire a Hero.
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