Find the biggest forces-friendly employers

As more British companies sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant to pledge to invest and support those within the armed forces community and join the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to demonstrate the level of their commitment, it’s even easier to find a forces-friendly job that fits your needs.

We’ve previously listed the top 5 civvy jobs you could consider, the huge range of applicable skills you likely possess that make you an ideal candidate for any role and some of our top savings to help you up-skill, build up your kitbag and stand out from the crowd, but we know finding an employer who understands and supports your needs – such as providing additional annual leave days to reservists – can feel hard.

There are three levels to the ERS (Gold, Silver and Bronze) and there are over 600 employers who are registered ‘Gold Award holders’ (offering the highest level of support to ex-forces employees).

These include roles across many of the most popular industries for those leaving the armed forces and include organisations such as:

• NHS Trusts

• City and County Councils

• Colleges and Universities 

• Charities

• Transport and logistics providers

• Construction groups

• Professional service providers

• Manufacturers

• Banking and retail organisations

While all gold award holders offer excellent support, some companies go above and beyond for the armed forces community. We’d recommend you check out Salute my Job for their list of the companies who are offering unquestioning support and investment.