North East Lincolnshire Council launches new Veteran internship scheme for those leaving the Armed Forces

North East Lincolnshire Council is launching a new internship scheme to help Veterans move from the military into civilian working life.

Thought to be the only scheme of its kind offered by a local authority, military service leavers will be offered a three-month Civilian Work Attachment with the Council during their resettlement period.

The Council is working with the Career Transition Partnership, an organisation that supports people leaving the Armed Forces, to offer the area’s veterans a work placement to give them experience in the civilian job market.

Service leavers have a massive range of transferable skills that any employer would welcome, including leadership, health and safety awareness, organisation and management, communication and engagement, analytical problem solving and teamwork.

If you're in resettlement period with the Armed Forces and are interested in a Civilian Work Attachment with the Council, visit the jobs pages at www.nelincs.gov.uk and search Civilian Work Attachment or apply directly at https://bit.ly/3OQCnJI. 

Leaving the Armed Forces can be a daunting prospect for some, so the internship is designed to give service leavers a taste of what it is like to be part of a civilian workforce. It is there to reassure Veterans and provide a supported route as they move out of the military.

Interns will be assigned a buddy from the Council’s Armed Forces Support Group, a group of ex-military personnel who now work at the Council, to offer tailored support during their placement.

Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“At North East Lincolnshire Council, we’re always looking to recruit people with the skills, knowledge, experience and leadership qualities to shape and deliver the best public services for our community.

“We’re introducing our Veteran internship scheme to give those leaving the Armed Forces the opportunity they need to give them the best chance of adapting to civilian employment.

“As a major employer, we recognise that Service leavers have a valuable range of transferable skills and qualities that bring many benefits to our organisation, and we can learn a lot from their expertise.

“The new initiative further demonstrates our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, a statement of mutual support between our civilian community and our local Armed Forces Community.”

Working in local government is incredibly rewarding and councils provide scores of different services with roles covering everything from tree surgery and licensing to food hygiene inspections and project management. As a result, North East Lincolnshire Council is well-placed to offer experience in a wide variety of roles and career paths.

North East Lincolnshire Council is now working with other public and private sector organisations in the area to encourage them to introduce similar opportunities for those leaving the Armed Forces.

Veterans in North East Lincolnshire

According to Census data, North East Lincolnshire has a higher proportion of Veterans in the local population than the national or regional average.

• North East Lincolnshire: 5.5%
• Yorkshire and Humber: 4.2%
• England and Wales: 3.8%

The Council already guarantees job interviews to applicants who have served in the Armed Forces and has a Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for its work to support serving personnel, cadets, Veterans and their families.