Sky's the limit - easyJet joins forces with SAS hero Andy McNab

easyJet has launched a new campaign to recruit more veterans and encourage them to bring their highly transferable, valuable skills gained in the forces to join ex-service people already working across the airline. As part of the recruitment drive, easyJet has joined forces with SAS hero and best-selling author Andy McNab to support the launch of weServed - a new online platform designed to help veterans transition into rewarding careers, including aircraft engineering and cabin crew.

The drive is part of easyJet’s ongoing work to encourage more older workers and career changers to join the airline, with current ONS data showing that 92% of those that had served in both regular and reserve UK armed forces are over the age of 45. The latest campaign comes following new research by easyJet which revealed that 80% of veterans wanted to take on a new challenge after their service, however over half (60%) of those surveyed believed more support was needed to help those leaving the forces transition into civilian jobs.

The airline is therefore also working with organisations which help ex-force personnel find new non-military careers and support veterans from the Army, Navy and RAF re-entering the workforce, including The Career Transition Partnership, the official resettlement service for the Armed Forces and ForceSelect, a leading provider of military service leavers to UK industry.

The survey also revealed careers in travel were a top choice for veterans re-entering the workforce (50%), with almost a fifth (19%) surveyed choosing aviation specifically, citing flexibility, visiting new places and skills development opportunities as among the top reasons for wanting to join the travel industry. A third of those surveyed were interested in operational roles (33%), while a quarter were interested in a career in a customer facing role and the skills gained in the military that veterans believed were most transferrable into civilian jobs included attention to detail (25%), teamwork (25%), security and safety awareness (21%), communication (21%) and problem solving (21%).

Flying more than 340 aircraft to over 130 destinations, serving up to a quarter of a million passengers in a day and offering an incredible variety of career opportunities from maintenance to operations control and cabin crew, easyJet wants the campaign to help connect veterans from military and other national services to a new role which they can thrive in at the airline.

Hugh Andree, weServed Founder and CEO, stated:“weServed is proud to work with easyJet to help create a pathway for UK veterans to explore a range of exciting new job opportunities, from aircraft engineers to cabin crew and  beyond. As the UK’s leading airline, we know they appreciate the exceptional skills held by ex-military personnel and will make it easier for them to find a new home which puts their vast experience and dedication to good use. We are looking forward to working with easyJet in the future to help achieve our shared goals.”

Andy McNab, former SAS soldier and now best-selling author, said: “Every year, some 20,000 people leave the armed services and we know it can be a challenge for veterans to find the right career fit. But easyJet has shown it understands the value of their incredible skill sets and can support them with new and rewarding career journeys, thanks to working with weServed.”

Dr Karen Arnold, Career Transition Partnership, Key Account Manager said: “As the official resettlement service for the UK military, we are pleased to have partnered with easyJet to explore new career pathways for ex-servicemen and women in the aviation sector.”

As part of the initiative, easyJet has appointed former veterans working in its ranks as recruitment ambassadors, whose jobs range from cabin crew to aircraft mechanics and maintenance operations controllers, and who hope to inspire and encourage anyone who like themselves, may be looking for a new career following military service.

This includes former RAF Military Transport Driver Rosie Delrosario, who joined easyJet as Cabin Crew in her late 50’s, who says: “I know that veterans who are thinking about joining the civilian workforce may have concerns. But I want them to know that it is possible to have a fulfilling career after service and easyJet provides thorough support and understanding to those of us from a military background.” 

Captain David Morgan, easyJet’s Chief Operating Officer, Honorary Air Commodore for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and former British Army Officer, commented: “We are incredibly proud to have ex-service people like Rosie as part of the easyJet team and help deliver the excellent service which has made us the UK’s leading airline. So we are delighted to be working with weServed, ForceSelect and CTP to help veterans find meaningful new opportunities at easyJet, bringing with them a wealth of experience and valuable transferable skills, joining much-valued fellow former military colleagues who have found highly rewarding new career paths, and we can’t wait to welcome them on board.”

easyJet accepts the Veteran Card as photographic identification onboard domestic flights and veteran easyJet cabin crew and pilots will be wearing their Veterans Badge during Remembrance Week.