Lifting equipment manufacturer and service provider, Konecranes Demag UK Limited, has signed the Armed Forces Covenant. The company has made a commitment to support the Armed Forces community and recognise the contribution to society and business made by serving, reservist and veteran military personnel.
As an Armed Forces friendly organisation, Konecranes Demag has pledged to promote a recruitment pathway for service personnel, their spouses and partners, ensuring that no member of the Armed Forces faces disadvantage in seeking employment with Konecranes Demag. The company also recognises that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate and has promised support, including special leave and deployment, for reservists and leaders of military cadet organisations.
Konecranes Demag already has military leavers within its ranks, including former RAF personnel who are working in training and branch management roles. The company is now focusing on a programme of further recruitment of employees from service backgrounds. To this end, Konecranes Demag has been working closely with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), an agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management Ltd, which provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces may benefit from CTP support when leaving service. The CTP also operates as an intermediary for employers wishing to hire service leavers. To date, it has assisted over 235,000 service leavers with the transition to civilian life and supported thousands of organisations looking to employ ex-service personnel.
Konecranes Demag has also been participating in events and initiatives organised by raja, which is the career transition arm of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). The raja programme aims to manage job placement opportunities for REME service leavers, help veterans find new employment and provide reservists with the opportunity to change careers. As part of its remit, raja has established close links with the Lifting Equipment Engineers’ Association (LEEA).
Karen Winfield, UK HR Director, Konecranes Demag, stated: “There is a strong synergy between the training and education programmes provided to engineers in the Armed Forces and the skill sets required by lifting equipment Service Technicians. As such, ex-military personnel represent a large pool of talent from which we can recruit for our national network of after-sales’ support services.”
She added: “However, career opportunities at Konecranes Demag are not limited to Service Technicians. Our experience has shown that Armed Forces leavers have a mature, disciplined and team focused approach to their employment. These qualities are a good fit with our goal of delivering the highest standards of customer focused service. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all our current and future employees within a business environment, which allows talented and ambitious employees to thrive and advance their careers.”
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. More information about the Armed Forces Covenant and how to get involved is at https://www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/
