Ex-Forces
Paul Brown
03.05.2023
The fourth annual Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards was held on 18 April, 2023, at the Grand Ballroom in the Glasgow Hilton. The event brought together over 500 business leaders and veterans, for a fantastic night of live entertainment and awards, celebrating the ex-service personnel who have added huge value to employers across Scotland.
There were 13 winners from over 300 nominations. The finalists were recognised for their significant contribution to Scottish commerce, while representing the Armed Forces community.
Awards Night
The six FDM Consultants who were nominated for awards were proud to be attending such a prestigious event. Two of them were judged at the top of their peer group, by an independent panel of veterans and business leaders, which was a fantastic achievement.
Christopher Rice won the Team Leader of the Year Award with Rosslyn Beattie picking up Role Model of the Year. We were equally proud of the other four nominees:
Jamie Dalton – New Service Leaver of the Year – highly commended
John Rigby – Military Values in Business Award
Joseph Cooper – Rising Star of the Year
Alexander Bayley – Reservist of the Year
We were very proud to sponsor the Business Leader of the Year award, with Stewart Sharman, Global Head of Ex-Forces at FDM Group, presenting the award to Malcolm Norman.
The ceremony was hosted by BBC news anchor Sally Magnusson, who introduced keynote speakers – Scottish Veterans Commissioner Lt Cdr Susie Hamilton, Sian Brown, Chief Data Officer at Barclays Execution Services, and Chris Hockley CBE DL, CEO of The MacRobert Trust.
Employment challenges
The Ex-Forces in Business Awards were established in 2018 to celebrate the second-career achievements of veterans and reservists, while promoting the vast array of skills and talents that exist within the Armed Forces community. By raising nearly £250,000 for the Armed Forces charity SSAFA over the past several years, and with over 1,000 individuals having been honoured, the programme gives back to those who have served their country.
Transitioning from military service into a meaningful second career can be an extremely challenging task for many armed forces veterans. Unfortunately, employers have historically shown a lack of awareness of the unique skill set that veterans possess and have failed to provide them with enough opportunities to showcase their abilities. Addressing these issues would not only improve the career prospects of veterans, but also help companies address their skill shortages and productivity challenges. Read How Ex-Forces Can Contribute to Corporations.
At FDM, we are proud of our long-standing association with the ex-forces community. Since 2014, we have helped over 800 ex-service men and women transition into civilian careers. The Programme also focuses on activities across the community, from supporting charities such as PTSD Resolution and Walking with the Wounded, to the Ex-Forces in Business Awards and Office for Veteran Affairs.
Christopher Rice
Christopher Rice enlisted in the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at the age of 17. He completed an engineering apprenticeship while serving in Germany, Canada, the UK, and two operational tours of Afghanistan. His final assignment was as a Training and Development Manager at a defence technical training college, where he improved his leadership and organisational skills.
He served in the British Army for 15 years before being untimely discharged on medical grounds. He joined FDM’s Ex-Forces Advanced Programme during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was on the recommendation of an army friend who was employed with FDM at the time.
The programme provided him with professional skills training, including PSM1 certification, which he found useful in his current role as a Scrum Master for a national bank. He volunteered as a mental health supporter for his team and eventually became the Domain’s Wellbeing Champion, delivering training and guidance on physical, mental, and social wellbeing to 400 people. Christopher attributes his success in this role to the people skills and emotional intelligence he gained through his military service.
Rosslyn Beattie
Rosslyn is a former Royal Corps of Signals member. Over a 22-year career she delivered communications engineering projects across the globe, from Northern Ireland to Iraq and Afghanistan to the Balkans. During this period, she supported small to large multi-national headquarters, consisting of 300+ staff members.
She achieved the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 and served as the Senior Technical Advisor to the Commanding Officer. She also mentored young soldiers and officers throughout her service. A strong advocate of Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the military, she continually encouraged women to reach past what they thought they could achieve.
After leaving the forces, Rosslyn sought a fresh challenge and subsequently joined the FDM Ex-Forces Advanced Programme. During training, she was selected to be a Cyber Security Technical Project Manager for a global financial services organization.
Rosslyn also serves as a Reserve commissioned officer in Scotland and volunteers as a coach for a local basketball club.
New beginnings with FDM
The FDM Ex-Forces Programme is a dedicated platform to help ex-service men and women launch a meaningful second career after leaving the forces. Our programme is open to military veterans, their spouses, ex-police, and blue light service leavers, as well as nurses. Run by veterans who understand the challenges of transitioning from the forces, our programme offers tailored support and training to transition into a rewarding career in business and technology.
Tech Industry Gold Accreditation
At FDM we are committed to providing the highest standards of training for our consultants. TIG or Tech Industry Gold is the industry recognised accreditation for all tech-related education and training programmes. A TIG accreditation distinguishes a programme for its quality and relevance to industry. TIG is managed by TechSkills, a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) for the accreditation of degrees in the UK.
We are delighted to announce that our Ex-Forces Programme has been awarded TIG accreditation. The credentials provide employers with a clear understanding of our consultants’ skills and competencies, validating the quality and relevance of their training to industry standards. The credentials can be easily shared on social media and included on CVs and are issued through the world’s largest credential-authorising network, Credly.
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