Transitioning from Military HR to Civilian - which course should I complete??

Steve, I assume you were AGC(SPS) and with a 22-year career that you were, therefore, a Warrant Officer of some stripe.

The short answer to your question, therefore, is "not very difficult" for someone with your experience and ability. The follow-up question, however, is how useful the qualification will be to your future career prospects. And that answer is, at the moment, "not very useful" - although it will become more useful quite quickly.

The problem for Service leavers is - as you rightly identify - that the Armed Forces does things in a rather different style and environment (literal and metaphorical) to civilian workplaces for the most part. The kind of employer where your skills and experience will most likely be recognized and valued will be one where your military qualifications are more relevant than your civilian ones, so if you have CIPD Lvl 5 it will be helpful but not job-clinching. In due course, though, having the qualification will gradually become more relevant.

Alternatively, you may find yourself in a different sort of job, where your military background isn't relevant or appreciated. In which case it will be a junior role quite disproportionate to your ability and your Level 5 will be largely irrelevant. However, once you begin to be recognized you'll quickly move up the ladder and it will, again, become important that you are qualified at that level.

Thanks Robey, yes I'm a WO2 and will have been for 4 years when I leave next December. I read one of your other posts on another thread and was interested in what you said which you have reiterated here. I have a couple of other qualifications Level 7 in Leadership and Managment and a Level 5 in Business Management, I understand that I'm unlikely to use the qualification immediately and it may take some time to get back to an equivalent level, I just need a greater insight into HR in the real world and I think L5 is the best level for me to start at, given my experience. Thanks again. Steve

Hi Steven, I would look at what the Civil Service has to offer.

There is a strong appreciation of what miliary experience can offer and lots of opportunities. As a WO2 and with your leadership and business management qualifications, there are undoubtedly Civil Service HR opportunities you would be qualified for - you don't always need CIPD qualifications for more general leadership and management roles.

There are also schemes to support military leavers. E.g. HMRC has the RISE programme (Resettlement internships supporting employment), which has specific training to focus on adjusting your professional experience to civilian settings.

I would agree with the others that CIPD Level 5 is unlikely to help your job prospects although it may help your confidence with civilian employment law, which is undoubtedly different to management by JSP! You might find a short course on employment law (maybe even Level 7) would be more appropriate though?

Thanks Lesley, I have considered the Civil Service, however from experience it's not that often that the jobs go to stage 4, also there isn't a great deal of civil service jobs in my area (Middlesbrough), I'll be completing CTW in January so that should give me a greater insight into what's possible and what's not and will give me a greater indication as to what is available for ex military. Lots to think about between now and January and what to do, the key thing is the majority of the cost of any course I do complete will be minimal as my ELC will cover it. Thanks again. Steve

Your challenge (IMO) will be getting an organisation or manager to give yo a chance in a HR role. For everyone who will there will be 3/4 not willing to take the "risk" at the last stage. Many will see the cultural differences and organisation structures too different for a career in HR. Not saying its fair or right just thats how I think it probably is.

So do the course by all means but spend your last year networking locally as much as you can. Attending CIPD branch events, employment law seminars etc etc and network!

Your challenge (IMO) will be getting an organisation or manager to give yo a chance in a HR role. For everyone who will there will be 3/4 not willing to take the "risk" at the last stage. Many will see the cultural differences and organisation structures too different for a career in HR. Not saying its fair or right just thats how I think it probably is.

So do the course by all means but spend your last year networking locally as much as you can. Attending CIPD branch events, employment law seminars etc etc and network!