Member Article

Military2Energy provides new direction for former commander

A former Royal Artillery Commander has taken his career in a new direction thanks to the Military2Energy Careers Service.

Mark Simon, 38, has secured a position with Teesside-based MC2 Contracting Services Group after accessing the service, which is operated by NOF Energy and the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS).

MC2 provides engineering professionals to a wide variety of clients around the world for temporary, fixed term and permanent contracts. Mark is responsible for building the company’s client and candidate portfolio as well as managing MC2’s Global Recruitment Team and internal HR operations.

Originally from Leeds and now living in Stocksfield, Mark joined the Army as a school leaver, but quickly progressed becoming an Officer after attending the Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He has served all over the world and has completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan and has also served in countries such as Norway, Germany, Italy and Canada.

Prior to leaving the Forces he was stationed in Northumberland as a Battery Commander and was responsible for the training and operational deployment of 120 people and more than £8m worth of highly specialised state-of-the-art technology.

With his children requiring a more stable future for their education, Mark decided to settle in the North East and accessed the Military2Energy Careers Service to look for opportunities in the region’s energy sector supply chain.

The service, which is designed to introduce ex-servicemen and women into careers in the energy sector, offers NOF Energy members the opportunity to communicate with and recruit from BFRS’s Armed Forces community of more than 14,000 skilled Service leavers.

It offers companies a constant influx of ex-servicemen and women for enrolment on training courses, opportunity to promote vacancies at any point and organises work trial placements with potential candidates through interaction with ex-military personnel at live and virtual career events and exhibitions, company listing on the BFRS website and inclusion in the BFRS newsletter.

The service also provides organisations in the energy sector with a 12 month programme of support and multiple marketing opportunities to position their company as the employer of choice or leading training provider to the Armed Forces community.

Among these opportunities is an annual Military2Energy Careers Event, which, this year, takes place on 27 June at Catterick Leisure Centre in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

The event, which is open to ex-military personnel and organisations in the energy sector, is a chance for energy sector supply chain employers to meet, network and potentially recruit from a network of highly skilled Armed Forces leavers interested in starting a career in the energy sector.

Mark said: “I was keen to settle my family in the North East and knew the energy sector is one of the area’s key industries where there would be good career opportunities. After accessing Military2Energy I had a conversation with the Managing Director of MC2 Contracting Services Group to discuss a potential opportunity with the Company. I was really pleased when he offered me the appointment and am very happy to be in a pivotal role in the Business. I am already involved in some exciting and high value projects and am working with clients all over the world including Malaysia, Libya, South Africa, Canada and the UK.”

Joanne Leng MBE, Deputy Chief Executive of NOF Energy, said: “Mark is a perfect example of the high quality former military personnel that are available to energy sector employers. Military2Energy is proving to be a popular service with both NOF Energy members and ex-forces personnel and is an excellent tool to support career development and meet businesses’ skills requirements.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .