CTP Success Story - Jimmy Molloy – From a Medical Discharge to a successful career in Consultancy
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 30/06/2023
Jimmy Molloy, a Veteran of 15+ years with the Army, now working with AECOM, set aside some time to talk with us about his journey from the Armed Forces to civilian employment.
Military service and resettlement support
“I completed 15.5 years in the Royal Engineers, serving in Iraq twice and Afghanistan. After a severe neck injury whilst commanding a Warrior AFV, I underwent a discectomy and fusion of my C6-C7 vertebrae which I struggled to recover from. I was unable to maintain my usual high levels of fitness whilst posted at Pirbright ATC as an instructor and this had a detrimental effect my mental health. I was unknowingly suffering with complex PTSD and undiagnosed adult ADHD, so as my mental and physical health deteriorated my symptoms worsened. I made the hard decision to ‘throw the towel in’ and seek help through Pirbright’s Welfare services, and was quite quickly removed from active service and posted to the Personnel Recovery Unit in Telford.
"The support and treatment I received at the PRU was amazing. I had first-hand careers advise from Melanie Vaughan (CTP Assist), close support from my PRO (Julie Coombes) and weekly therapy in the form of EMDR from the psychiatrists stationed at the medical centre. With time to “take a knee” and address my traumas and neurological disorder, I was able to slowly regain my clarity, confidence, and ability to function at the high level I had previously known.”
My transition to civilian employment
“Following my work with Melanie, I was invited for an interview with AECOM’s Birmingham Ecology team and offered the position of Senior Project Manager. After completing my PRINCE 2 training course provided by the CTP, I started with AECOM on 11th November 2019 – and thus began my transition into civilian life.
"I did struggle to adjust for the first 6 months and although I seemed fine on the surface, I had underestimated the challenges that came with leaving a 15.5 year career in the Armed Forces to working in an office environment. I was also still receiving treatment for PTSD and trialling medication for my ADHD, so I became overwhelmed. I was completely transparent and open about my situation and was given some time off before completing a phased return to work with the support of Unum group (a workplace benefits and services provider). Unum worked closely with me to make sure my ongoing treatment coincided with work commitments, and coupled with the unwavering support from my line management, I managed to “get back in the saddle” and continue with my new career.”
My career to date
“AECOM have a “Freedom to Grow” attitude which means that your role can develop or change depending on where your strengths lie or where you’d like your career to go. As such, my progress at AECOM has been very organic and I have since moved from the Ecology department to the Environmental Solutions team where I spend more time on-site as opposed to ‘being stuck’ behind a laptop all day. As well as developing as a Project Manager, I’ve found myself in roles such as the Quality and Assurance Manager for data delivery; an Ecological Second, conducting bat, reptile and great crested newt surveys, a Security Manager for a previous office location; and now a Site Manager for ongoing geological ground investigations.
"I’m also a ‘Forces Champion’ for AECOM, working on initiatives to recruit Service leavers and help build our internal ex-forces network; and have joined the mental health team as a mental health first aider to use my own experiences to signpost and help others.”
What’s next?
“My next project will be the decontamination and demolition of a facility that made beryllium alloy for medical and military application, and so I’m looking forward to further expanding my knowledge and diving into another new experience.
"I would like to thank everyone at the CTP and the Telford PRU for helping me with my ‘regain’, the work you do is truly lifechanging. Onwards and Upwards!”