The Prime Minister will meet veterans and businesses today at a Veterans Connect event at a military museum, where he will launch OP PROSPER- a wraparound employment service to support veterans into work after they leave the Armed Forces.
OP PROSPER will be backed by £2.1 million in funding.
The scheme will support veterans in securing high paid jobs, where they can hone the skills that they developed in the military in key sectors that are helping to boost the economy. This includes areas like cyber and digital, manufacturing, energy and financial and professional services, read more on the scheme here.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“The courageous men and women who have served in our Armed Forces represent the very best of our country and we must serve them as well as they have served us.
They deserve our full support to thrive in civilian life and to continue contributing their incredible skills to the prosperity of our country. That is why I am proud to announce OP PROSPER, which will support veterans in securing high-skilled roles in key sectors that are helping to grow the economy.”
Commenting on today’s launch of Op PROSPER, Julie McCarthy – Director of Volunteer Operation for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity and who attended the launch at the RAF Museum London – said:
“SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has a long history of bridging that gap for service leavers as they transition from military into civilian life, and in 2023 alone, our Mentoring service – delivered mainly by volunteers – helped more than 1,300 personnel, which is an incredible number. And so of course SSAFA welcomes the announcement today of Op PROSPER.
We look forward to seeing its implementation and what it will mean for UK Armed Forces as they leave one career and progress into another, and we’ll be paying special attention to how Op PROSPER delivers to vulnerable and early service leavers.
These men and women, sometimes leaving years before they wanted to and before fully developing their skills and experience, often face the greatest challenges going into Civvy Street. SSAFA works particularly closely with them and they – as with all UK Armed Forces – deserve the same levels of support as all other personnel.”
The U.K. donates money to corrupt or unfriendly regimes around the world. Put that to better use at home. Here is fine example, long over due, of what the country needs to do for ex-military personnel welfare.
True, but it seems that very little money is committed to the scheme.
PM’s do not think firstly about welfare of service personnel years later when engaging in current conflicts. MoD should argue to get money set aside for veterans during big campaigns. Secondly factor in an interpreter multiple for uk resettlement as well. Obviously services want to project an overly positive, we’re coping message during war time.
The linked article states ‘Veterans’ employment in the UK is at an all-time high, at 89%’, but I think that 11% of veterans being unemployed is nothing to crow about.
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