Veterans' skills can boost economy, says minister

Skills held by a county's "huge" former armed forces population could help local industry meet growing challenges, a government minister has said.

Minister for Veterans, Al Carns, spoke about Herefordshire's "hugely valuable" veterans during a visit to the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE).

More than 9,000 veterans are registered in the county, where Carns also spent time during his own armed forces career.

The Birmingham Selly Oak MP urged businesses to connect with potential employees through the Forces Employment Charity's Operation Ascend, a scheme which helps veterans find jobs.

Their leadership, teamwork and technical skills are "hugely valuable to industry", Carns told forces and industry figures at the Military into Business Showcase event on Wednesday.

Veterans also had "a huge amount of talent and skill, which sometimes gets lost when they leave the military", he added.

The Office for Veterans' Affairs posted on X it was estimated a quarter of Herefordshire's population had military ties, "making veterans crucial to the local economy".

It added the visit's purpose was to encourage local businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, a promise to treat fairly those who have served.

NMITE, which lies within the Rotherwas enterprise zone alongside several defence-related firms, provides engineering and technology degrees and champions ties with local employers.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge also addressed attendees, telling them "your country needs you".

"The battlefield is changing and we have to embrace technology like never before. Yet the most important capability of the armed forces will still be people, who will need skills as never before," Cartlidge added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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