The brand new Headquarters for Project Recce opens this September. The nationwide charity supports veterans into employment in the construction and STEM Industries.
Their new headquarters overlooks countryside in the North West, and also enjoys a view of the sea. This peaceful location was specifically chosen to help veterans with PTSD.
Project Recce was formed by Captain Laurence “Loz” Moore and Neil Houlilhan, a property developer. They recognised the transferable skills and values that ex-service personnel can offer to civilian employers, and wanted to support veterans into employment. They help people from all backgrounds of military life, and they’ve not all left service recently.
Neil’s now Project Recce’s CEO and the charity boasts 45 ambassadors who share a passion for supporting veterans into employment. A former captain of the UK Invictus Games team Major (retd) Bernie Broad, is chair of the Board of Trustees and he’s particularly passionate about training and mentoring veterans’ journey.
Their Pathways into Construction course was originally a pilot cohort of three students. But it’s since developed into a formal two week course, that’ll be held in the new HQ. The course includes:
- Military standards, and their application in civilian employment
- Health and safety
- Preparation for interviews.
Project Recce say around 70% of those who complete the course find employment and have placed over 250 students into employment. New entrants into construction partner organisations can link with experienced co-workers to help their induction and get peer support.
The charity have a range of partnerships, who understand the needs of their ex-service personnel and often offer access to counselling. They work in partnership with:
- The Royal Foundation
- The Armed Forces Covenant Fund
- Balfour Beatty plc
- Sunbelt Rentals
- Morgan Sindall Group
- Kier.
Alongside their current support for ex-service personnel, Project Recce are ambitious and have substantial growth plans.They currently have nationwide coverage, including innovative projects in Scotland and Wales that shaped their response to COVID-19. Their courses and networking took an online approach to try and support veterans who were experiencing social isolation, as Project Recce understand the impact issues in personal life can have on employability.
Their empathy and recognition of core values gives the charity confidence that anyone who completes their construction course will do well. The charity’s reward is to hear success stories, built on the confidence gained through training and mentoring.
Project Recce’s ambassadors and corporate partners are at the heart of their successes, but financial and human resources are a concern.Neil appreciates the need to be financially viable to continue offering the service. In the next 10 years, he hopes the charity will have a self-sustainable administration team, which would help more people find employment in more partner organisations. Alongside the opening of the new headquarters, Project Recce have planned fundraising events such as a digital skills boot-camp and an online comedy course.
Project Recce’s CEO, Neil said:
“It’s about getting veterans into employment. We do everything we can to help any willing and ‘work-ready’ veteran into the construction industry.
“We’re creating a pathway for veterans to get the suitable skills for a career in an expanding sector, regardless of previous experience, rank or role.
“There’s many transferable skills that a veteran gains through service, such as coping with adversity, overcoming obstacles, adaptability and resilience. We’re working to make these transferrable skills accessible to the construction industry, so ex-service personnel can add true and measurable value to a business”.
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