MDP: A fairer work-life balance
Category: Success Stories
Publish date: 01/12/2023
With firearms training from the beginning of your career with us, and lots of opportunities to develop further in specialist roles, the MDP could offer you an extremely fulfilling career.
PC Mark Skeavington shares his journey from Military Service to working with us:
Military Service
"I wanted to join the Army for as long as I could remember. The prospect of doing something completely different, travelling the world, deploying on Operations and all the challenges that went with it really appealed to me.
"I served with the Light Dragoons – part of the Armoured Corps – and was deployed to both Afghanistan and Bosnia; providing vastly different experiences that I treasure to this day.
"I also met many of my closest friends during my army career, all of whom I keep in touch with regularly."
How I heard about the MDP
"After ten years military service, my priorities changed and I felt ready for a new challenge with better work-life balance. Following my discharge, I joined a regular Home Office Police Force who I served with for three years. Unfortunately, I found this extremely stressful and the role had a hugely negative impact on my home life – something I wanted to avoid when leaving Service.
"Thankfully, I'd grown up in the Reading area and so I was aware of the AWE sites nearby and of MDP. Plus, some of my colleagues had transferred across to the MDP and were able to explain everything involved."
Applying to join
"In early 2022, a new recruitment campaign opened and I applied to join as a NEOF (New Entrant from Other Police Forces). I applied specifically for the SEG (Special Escort Group) due to having no probationary period to complete, and having a particular interest in a more specialist role.
"There were lots of forms to complete, including background checks due to the sensitive nature of where I would be working. The medical tests were almost identical to the ones I’d undergone in the military, and I had no problem passing the fitness test having maintained a decent standard of fitness in post-military life.
"Once I’d completed these stages, I started my firearms training in the Summer of 2022."
Why a career in the MDP was the right choice for me
"I was delighted to discover the work-life balance was exactly what I’d been looking for since leaving the Army. You always know when you're working and when you have time off, and unless you're away with the convoys, you always finish on time!
"The work environment is very relaxed and reliant on self-discipline, allowing everyone to just get on with their work. There’s also great camaraderie with my colleagues and very little stress.
"Plus, because you’re expected to maintain your fitness, you even get an hour a day during work time to engage with any fitness activity you want - be that going to the on-site gym, going for a run or just a simple walk.
"On the SEG, unless we’re on the road – which is usually only for a couple days, twice a month – we only work dayshifts from Monday to Friday, which has been brilliant for my social life and keeping a routine. My partner says she's never seen me at home so often!
"All of this has had a hugely positive impact on my mental and physical health, both of which are of paramount importance to me now.
"The tactics and firearms training are also brilliant, I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed such things in the Army! There are elements that are just like my military training, but also lots of new things to learn as well."
My proudest MDP moment
"Since starting my MDP journey, my proudest moment has been becoming convoy qualified and deploying on my first convoy. It was great to see the theory I’d learnt being put into practice!"
Interested in working for us?
Please login to CTP RightJob and search for Ministry of Defence Police to see our latest roles. Alternatively, come and say hello to us at one of the CTP Employment Fairs in 2024.