Why choose a career at Ian Williams after the Military?
Category: Recruitment
Publish date: 31/08/2021
Ian Williams has worked with the CTP for 2 years and officially signed to the Armed Forces Covenant, in a move that showed our commitment to employing and supporting ex-military personnel moving into the civilian working environment.
The company has long recognised that reservists and veterans bring a variety of transferable skills and qualities to the civilian workplace, all of which they’ve developed throughout their military careers. We have a number of ex-military personnel already in the business, including Electricians, Painters and Decorators, Surveyors, Carpenters and Business Managers. We have a range of potential vacancies across the business, from qualified trade persons through to business function and management opportunities.
Award-winning employer of choice
Ian Williams has been successfully looking after homes and buildings since 1946, and over the last seven decades has recognised that it’s our people who define and shape the organisation and sustain growth. That’s why the company is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best talent as an employer of choice, a process managed by the Ian Williams’ Academy.
Ian Williams delivers its services directly to the client/customer wherever possible, a strategy that has been acknowledged by We Invest in People, who awarded Ian Williams the Gold Standard in recognition of being a ‘great place to work’. In 2020, we were shortlisted as ‘Employer of the Year Gold 250+’ in the Investors in People awards, and have previously been awarded PwC’s ‘West of England Business of the Year’, while also being the proud holder of 13 RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Gold Awards, as well as a subsequent President’s Award.
The brand’s mission is to be a company loved by its employees and customers, and we strive to achieve this by ensuring the values and behaviours that our teams demonstrate every day create a safe, supportive and friendly working environment where employees can do their best work. We understand that different people want different things from a workplace and have a flexible, diverse, open, honest and fun culture - regularly promoting talent from within. With many traditional and non-traditional opportunities for talent progression across the organisation, we pride ourselves on giving individuals the opportunity to fulfil potential and achieve fair rewards.
Case Study
In the last issue, we spoke to Ian Williams’ Business Manager and ex-Royal Engineer, Richard Croucher. This month we speak to one of Richard’s team, Neil Noton; a fellow ex-Royal Enginer who is now an Electrical Supervisor with the business.
Neil comments: “I was in the Royal Engineers for five years having joined straight from school. However, after the initial intensive training I felt the life wasn’t for me; there wasn’t enough variety and I was getting restless. What I am really grateful for though, is that my time in the Services meant that when I left, I was part-qualified as an Electrician, a trade I love and wanted to continue outside of the Royal Engineers.
“I found Ian Williams through a post on Facebook where they were looking for plumbers and carpenters, and so I speculatively got in touch to see if there were any Electrician vacancies too. After a meeting and interview, I was appointed – that was 4 years ago! It’s by far the longest job I’ve kept since the Forces and I can honestly say I haven’t looked back since and would urge any veteran to give it a go. The skills we bring with us as veterans – discipline, time-keeping commitment to getting things done, teamwork – are highly valued by employers.
“As a business, Ian Williams recognises and rewards these attributes. They’re not just about profit, profit, profit. Their ethos of looking after and developing their people is plain to see every day. They are helpful and want you to progress in a supportive environment. They’ve already supported and paid for training and development opportunities on my behalf."
As for the future? Neil adds: “While I love the regimented and hands-on approach I can take to electrics with the skills that I have, I know my body will only last for so long. Eventually I hope to become a Contracts Manager – and you know what? I’m sure that Ian Williams will support me all the way to achieve that.”
Richard Croucher, Neil’s Business Manager comments:
“Ian Williams is all about investing in people, just like the military. Discipline, respect and not being afraid to work hard are all recognised and rewarded. When people join us, our peer structure and mentoring schemes mean we can formally help them to transfer skillsets and disciplines engendered in the Army, RAF or Navy. Working here really is a career, not just a job and I’m proud to have Neil on my team.”
If you think you’d be the right fit for Ian Williams and all the above excites you, please head over to the CTP’s online job portal, RightJob to find our latest vacancies across the UK and
apply now.
And even if you don’t find something you’re interested in immediately, we’re adding new roles on a regular basis – so be sure to keep checking!