Service Leavers & Veterans

Service Leavers
& Veterans

Your Next Mission Starts Here.

What is our mission?

At Certes, we have worked with Service Leavers and Veterans for over 10 years, and too many times we’ve heard:

Our mission is to change this!

Former Forces empower military service leavers, like yourself, to navigate your civilian career journey with confidence by providing honest guidance, tailored support, and real world opportunities that honour your service and potential.

Our vision is to build a future where every veteran is recognised and valued, and goes on to thrive in a fulfilling civilian career, with Former Forces as the stepping stone between military service and meaningful employment.

How does Former Forces Work?

Simple. We have two closed groups, one on LinkedIn and one on Discord. All you need to do is request to join.

These are two platforms where you can chat, ask questions, and share with other service leavers and veterans. It is also our key way of communicating with you about upcoming events, opportunities, and CV advice.

Join using the icons below:

Why Join Former Forces?

It’s all about giving back to those who chose to serve. We want to support them in achieving continuous career progression, maximising their talent and earning potential. That’s why everything in Former Forces is offered free of charge.

Workshops & Networking Events.

We don’t just give guidance on job boards, CVs and interviews, but we give you clarity and insider knowledge of how the recruitment process actually works for both candidate and company. Let’s eliminate the confusion together!

CV Advice
& Tips.

With over 40 years of recruitment experience, Certes has reviewed CVs across a wide range of roles and industries. We’re here to offer free CV reviews and practical tips to help you stand out.

Insights into
Industry.

Want to gain experience in the civvy street? We offer you the opportunity to take part in a two-week industry placement with some of our key clients. This will help you build valuable experience, develop your career, and prepare for your transition when you leave.

1-2-1 Advice.

Get 1-to-1 advice from our ex-military colleagues who have been through the same journey as you. This includes Mark Whittington, founder of Former Forces and former Army Welfare Service Sgt Maj with Regional Command, who can share realistic and practical guidance on every stage of the transition process.

Community.

Former Forces was created so service leavers do not have to go through this transition alone. We have built a community on LinkedIn & Discord to support, share stories, and offer valuable insights.

Testimonials From Members of Former Forces.

“At the start of the workshop, I had a list of questions initially, however he ticked them all off prior to the end of the call - ideal! I like his style and enjoyed the presentation, knowing the working parts of the industry is really invaluable to service leavers. I am 9 months into my transition and I have learnt new information from Luke today. Especially the points where 80% of jobs are not on job boards! Us service leavers (that joined as boys/girls at 16) are very naive to these workings.”

“After an influx of new connections, it only feels right to share a group that has helped loads in the past 12 months. Former Forces hosts monthly networking calls to learn and share, but ultimately get you closer to that post military role – think service leavers tea and toast. They also host focussed talks from recruiters so you can better understand hiring managers and recruiters.”

“I first heard about Former Forces through a fellow Service Leaver and decided to join a few of their online networking sessions. Those sessions turned out to be a real turning point, the moment it clicked for me that networking wasn’t just helpful, it was absolutely vital to my transition. Not long after, I was approached directly by Certes, the Company behind Former Forces, to talk about the direction I wanted to take with my career. That conversation opened the door to an internal role, and ultimately, the job I’m in today. Without Former Forces, I simply wouldn’t be where I am now.”