The covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
Solar Energy UK will sign the covenant at this year’s National Transition Event – the largest Armed Forces community gathering of its kind in the UK.
As part of the commitment, the trade association has also launched a case study to demonstrate how recruiting veterans delivered a ‘world-class team’ for one of its members, 2DegreesKelvin.
From Sergeant Major to solar operative
From Sergeant Major to Solar Operative tells the story of Anthony Davidson, who left the Army as a Sergeant Major in 2023 after 22 years’ service. He went on to join Solar Energy UK member 2DegreesKelvin.
“Although not being able to offer any solar qualifications, I felt I had all the necessary attributes any organisation would search for: hardworking, punctuality, problem solver, agile thinker, leadership, pride, attention to detail, to name a few. The interview was a success and 2DK appreciated my willingness to learn and apply myself to their cause, and so my solar career started,” he wrote.
He later brought two further veterans on board.
“Personally, I could not be happier with my decision to pursue a career within the solar industry and genuinely believe it would be very well suited to ex-forces and service leavers alike and should be a consideration as a solid future career path after the military,” Anthony added.
2DegreesKelvin Founder and CEO, John Davies, said: “From the interview, we knew we’d found attributes in Anthony that would be transferable to our specialist solar services. With a robust training plan in not only our mobile laboratories but other advanced inspection and testing disciplines, and a training plan towards electrical competency, Anthony has come into his own, being recently promoted to Field Services Team Leader, and being instrumental in onboarding two further ex-forces team members to form a world class service.
“Employing and developing ex-forces personnel will remain a central part of our growth strategy going forward.”
Signing ceremony
The signing ceremony at the National Transition Event will be conducted by Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett.
He said: “I am proud to be giving Solar Energy UK’s formal backing to the Armed Forces Covenant. I know that the Armed Forces community are already playing a significant role in the industry, helping to fulfil a need for installers and other skilled people across the sector. I very much expect that contribution will grow in the future, as the sector expands and employers increasingly understand the value of veterans.
The National Transition Event is run by charity Mission Community, which is responsible for Mission Renewable – the Armed Forces engagement initiative for the renewable energy sector. Others who support the event include the Ministry of Defence, the Office for Veterans Affairs, well-known companies and other trade bodies such as RenewableUK.
To be held at Silverstone on 24 February, it provides a unique opportunity to engage with the Armed Forces community and learn how they can benefit from engaging with a thriving sector. The wide variety of both technical and people skills that are in abundance in the Armed Forces offers them significant advantages to our industry.
Aside from collaborating with Mission Renewable, Solar Energy UK has also pledged to work with the Career Transition Partnership and the Forces Employment Charity, to support the recruitment of veterans young and old among our members.
Image credit: 2DegreesKelvin
