From Sniper Platoon to Site Engineer: How the Lifting Industry Is Recruiting Service Leavers

LEEA’s Military Transition Scheme offers veterans a free qualification and a route into a sector short of skilled people

The lifting industry needs people who can work safely under pressure, follow procedures and take responsibility for the outcome. The armed forces produce exactly those people every year. The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) is trying to connect the two through its Military Transition Scheme, and the story of Jamie Morris shows how it works in practice.

From the Army to JK Lifting

Morris served seven years in the British Army with the 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, as a Warrior gunner and driver, then in the Sniper Platoon and finally in a Reconnaissance Platoon. Those roles, he says, taught him teamwork, composure under pressure and responsibility for getting the job done safely.

After leaving, he joined JK Lifting Equipment, which provides lifting services from bases in Newcastle and the Port of Blyth in North East England. Two and a half years later, he is a site engineer.

“After seven years in the Army, I found my next career in the Lifting Industry,” Morris said.

Through the scheme he completed the LEEA Foundation Certificate, giving him both an understanding of the industry and a recognised qualification. He has since used ELCAS (Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Service) funding to complete NVQ Diplomas in Lifting Supervision and Appointed Person.

How the scheme works

The Military Transition Scheme is open to all regular service leavers worldwide, regardless of branch, trade, experience or qualifications. It is available within six months of leaving and for two years after the end of service.

It includes a free LEEA Foundation Certificate e-learning course, whose qualification is recognised worldwide and valid for life, plus reduced rates on Advanced Diploma training, subject to conditions. Participants can also see job vacancies posted by LEEA members in more than 80 countries, while members recruiting locally can see a summary of the leaver’s background and location.

The career paths are broad: design, fabrication, manufacturing, supply, inspection, testing and maintenance of lifting equipment, in sectors from construction and renewables to offshore and nuclear.

The industry’s view

“We know the military services are full of high calibre people with important employability skills, together with the technical expertise required by our industry,” said Ross Moloney, CEO of LEEA. “Those skills will need to be transferred into industry recognised qualifications, a bridge that LEEA wants to help them cross by offering the next step in their work life.”

For lifting companies facing an ageing workforce, the scheme is a ready-made recruitment channel with a safety culture already built in.

From Sniper Platoon to Site Engineer: How the Lifting Industry Is Recruiting Service Leavers published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.