Army spouses and partners increasingly want to pursue a meaningful career of their own, or find rewarding, sustainable employment. However, you may find that you have a chequered career history, or postings-induced career breaks.
AFF is often contacted by spouses and partners with queries about employment, job hunting and careers advice. Here is information and signposting to help, but if you have any specific questions or issues, please get in touch with our Employment & Training Specialist at employment@aff.org.uk.
Having a good CV is essential, no matter what kind of employment you are seeking. As an Army spouse, who possibly has a chequered career history, it’s even more important that your CV makes you stand out from the crowd.
You can find a variety of providers who can support you with employability skills and developing your CV on the Forces Families Jobs Careers Advice page. There are a range of providers to choose from, so you can be sure to find the right one for you.
Back to topIf you have to work at or from home you can get tax relief for the extra household expenses you have to pay.
Typically, these extra expenses include:
For more information see GOV.UK: Claim tax relief for your job expenses
Back to topIt can be difficult to transfer qualifications between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for some professions. In the devolved nations (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), some accredited governing bodies and professions set their own standards and qualification requirements – these include legal professions, teaching and social work.
If you are posted to one of the devolved nations, and wish to work as a qualified professional, you should contact the relevant devolved nation professional body to confirm the registration requirements.
Ofqual has published this leaflet which enables you to compare qualifications across the UK and Ireland.
This SCQF National Qualifications Framework is useful to help you work out what your qualifications would equate to in other Home Nations.
For non-UK families with overseas qualifications, you are able to apply to the UK ENIC for a Statement of Comparability to establish your level of study within the UK system. The UK ENIC is the national agency that is responsible for providing information and expert advice on the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills.
For more information or support on transferring professional qualifications, contact us at employment@aff.org.uk
Back to topThe Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) replaced Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks, and now allows employees to take their DBS certificate with them from role to role with its Update Service.
You can join the Update Service for a registration fee of £13 per year (there is no fee for volunteers), find out how to register at gov.uk/dbs-update-service
The DBS has created two YouTube videos that explain how the Update Service can benefit applicants and employers:
Watch the applicant video
Watch the employer video
For more information on the Disclosure and Barring Service checks, visit www.gov.uk/dbs or email us at employment@aff.org.uk
Back to topA Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC) is a police and criminal check for Service personnel or their entitled family members, where they are required by a new employer to cover a period spent abroad. The CGC, or equivalent, is required in addition to a DBS check.
If you have experienced any issues getting a Certificate of Good Conduct, please contact AFF’s Employment & Training Specialist on employment@aff.org.uk for further advice.
Back to topYou may require a CGC if you have lived outside the UK for a period of more than six months especially if you intend to work or volunteer with children and young people, or vulnerable adults.
The aim of the certificate is to prevent anyone seeking employment or volunteer roles from being at a disadvantage on their return to UK, and saves you having to approach foreign embassies for this information, often at an additional charge. There is no time restriction on the certificate – the Vetting Officer can go back decades, if need be.
The certificates are issued by the Service Police Crime Bureau (SPCB) Vetting Officer. The process is very simple, but can take up to 40 days for you to receive your certificate from the application date. Although it is a good idea to get this done before an employer requests it, it’s best to wait until you have arrived back in the UK as the certificate will only cover the period up to the date checks are completed.
As the SPCB cannot be absolutely sure that an individual has not been convicted overseas, the wording on the police certificate reads:
“Please note this certificate is based solely on information reported to the Service Police and held on the REDCAP criminal records database and Police National Computer. It is possible that foreign police forces may have dealt with an offence and not reported it to the Service Police.”
You will need to put your request in writing – email is fine – to SpecOpsRMP-SPCB-Vetting0Grp@mod.gov.uk, providing the following details:
Looking for help on your employment journey? Here are some Forces family-friendly organisations who can help, support and advise you, whatever stage you are at.
Back to topForces Families Jobs (FFJ) is the go-to place for employment and training information for family members of currently serving UK military personnel. It is run by AFF in partnership with the Naval and RAF Families Federations and is free to use.
FFJ connects you with Forces-friendly employers and training providers, as well as signposting you to the host of organisations that can help advise and support you on your employment journey.
The Military Coworking Network provides coworking hubs on military bases across the UK and in Cyprus. These are affordable places where you can work or study on your own terms and connect with others.
The Forces Employment Charity exists to help members of the Forces community achieve their full employment potential.
Their Families Programme offers one-to-one advice and guidance to support military partners and spouses into employment. Its dedicated caseworkers are all military spouses, or have lived experience of Forces family life, so they understand the challenges you may face.
The Forces Employment Charity is expert in understanding local jobs markets and how your skills and aspirations best fit with the jobs available, as well as advising on how to overcome, or work around, barriers to employment such as having been out of employment for a long time, or childcare. It can also provide advice on developing your CV and interview preparation.
They also offers a programme supporting Service children aged 16-24. Its dedicated advisors provide one-to-one advice and guidance on identifying your next steps, whether that is applying for an apprenticeship or a job, finding the right university course, training, mentoring or interview preparation, they will help future-proof your career. Registration is via the Families Programme.
Recruit for Spouses (RFS) is an award-winning social enterprise representing military spouses and partners across the Armed Forces community. Its aim is to return talent to the workforce by providing spouses with opportunities to enhance their career and find gainful employment.
RFS Career Academy provides free coaching and mentoring, masterclasses, virtual workshops, as well as online courses and resources in its self-development hub, including CV writing and a new mental health and wellbeing programme.
The RFS Recruitment team can connect you with supportive employers, offering remote and flexible working with companies that value and understand your unique strengths and skillset. They offer fixed-term, full-time, part-time, office-based and remote working roles across a variety of sectors.
RBLI Lifeworks is an employability support programme that gives you the tools to enable you to get the job you want.
The programme is modular (face to face or remote learning) and completely free to the families of Service personnel. Lifeworks covers all areas of employability skills and the personal development that supports that change. This includes coaching sessions for change, skills development for CV writing, covering letters, interviews and even coaching to understand what work not only suits you but what you would love to do.
The Lifeworks team take the time to understand the individuals they help, tailoring their support to get you work ready.
RBLI has also launched Lifeworks Hub, an online learning platform (registration required), which allows you to gain access to bite-size chunks of its course material with all sessions tailored to the Armed Forces and their families.
Career Pursuit is a free, online resource hub aimed at military spouses and partners. It offers career support, advice, resources and top tips, including setting up and running your own business.
Career Pursuit also has an online career guide, Your Future, for 16-24s. It offers career inspiration, guidance and support for young people from military families.
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