Forces: Army
John W - WO2
"The best advice I could give to Service leavers thinking about or currently going through their resettlement is to plan early, make use of the events on offer like Insight Days, Recruitment Days and the CTP Employment Fairs, and spend your Enhanced Learning Credits wisely to give yourself the best chance of success in your civilian career."
Ex-WO2 John Wozniak served in the Army for 23 years, with his final role
as part of the PJHQ Information Exploitation Team. Here, he tells us
about his career transition experience...
Tell me a bit about your time in the Army.
“I
served in the Army for 23 years and reached the role of WO2 by the time
my contract ended. During my service, I thoroughly enjoyed the
adventurous training and operations myself and my team went on, along
with being able to bond with others going through the same situations as
I was. The Army taught me self-discipline, which has been valuable
experience that I’ve taken with me through to civilian life.”
What was your resettlement process with CTP like?
“The
CV preparation during the Career Transition Workshop was extremely
helpful. It’s not something that every Service leaver is comfortable
with and isn’t used when in the Forces. I also undertook a Civilian Work
Attachment and completed distance learning. Distance learning is always
a challenge but it aided me to prepare for the role I was going to take
in civilian life. Every Service leaver should look to exploit the CWA
pathway, as it can open up a wide range of opportunities.
“During
my resettlement, I kept tabs on a few of the newsletters CTP were
sending me, like the monthly Focus newsletter and the events. As a
result, I attended a number of Insight and Open Days in the Finance
Sector.”
You’ve now transitioned into civilian life, what do you do?
“I
am currently the Deputy Managing Director for Focus Group Logistics. My
job is multifaceted; I cover all areas and utilise many skills gained
in the Military, primarily leadership and the ability to manage others.
People in the company always look to me for answers, and if I cannot
give them one, we sit and discuss the matter.
“At the start of
this role, there were a few obstacles that I faced. As I was in a senior
role, many individuals were not used to having a senior manager asking
them questions about their respective roles. Fortunately the teams were
understanding, and I now have a clearer view on what everyone does in
the company. I found that time-keeping has been a big headache – they’re
just not tuned in like the Military are!”
What advice would you give to other Service leavers?
“The
best advice I could give to Service leavers thinking about or currently
going through their resettlement is to plan early, make use of the
events on offer like Insight Days, Recruitment Days and the CTP
Employment Fairs, and spend your Enhanced Learning Credits wisely to
give yourself the best chance of success in your civilian career.”
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