How veterans can help close the UK rail skills gap
There’s a disconnect in UK hiring right now.
There's a growing UK rail skills gap, with an ageing workforce, skills shortage, and a looming wave of infrastructure projects demanding boots on the ground.
Meanwhile, around 15,000 service leavers exit the British Armed Forces each year. They’re highly skilled, disciplined, and technically skilled. Many have backgrounds like engineering, operations, and logistics that map closely to rail industry jobs.
And yet, despite them being one of the most job-ready talent pools in the UK, they’re consistently under-represented in the industry.
Why veterans make great rail professionals
Veterans bring something that can’t be taught quickly or cheaply:
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Adaptability across disciplines
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Highly transferrable skills such as experience with complex systems, machinery, or infrastructure projects
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Problem-solving in high-pressure environments
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Resilience and work ethic
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Team leadership and accountability
Traditional hiring methods that focus solely on CV keywords, linear job histories, and narrow industry experience often fail to recognise the broader potential that veterans bring.
It’s not a pipeline problem; it’s a pathway problem
Recognising this disconnect, we worked with a global rail transport solution company to build a bridge focused on bringing veteran talent into rail industry hiring without forcing them to start from scratch.
Our recruiters operated as an extension of the company’s internal team, running the end-to-end process of sourcing to placement and aftercare, co-designing an inclusive hiring programme with the following goals:
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Targeted outreach to engage with ex-Forces communities and transition support organisations to make sure the right people were reached, not just those already on mainstream job platforms.
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CV and interview coaching to support service leavers in translating military experience into rail-relevant language.
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Removing unnecessary barriers throughout the process, streamlining requirements to prioritise transferable skills, mindset, aptitude, and adaptability.
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Providing clear training and onboarding pathways to ensure a smooth transition into the commercial, regulated rail environment.
How you can start building your own bridge
If you want to address the UK rail skills gap and open pathways for diverse workers, such as veterans, you have to revisit your strategy. Here’s what we’ve learned:
- Rethink your entry requirements
Take a closer look at your job specs. Are you filtering out strong candidates by asking for “X years in rail” or a specific degree that isn’t essential to the role? Refocus on the skills and behaviour that matter. You’ll find this will broaden your talent pool to those who have the qualities and highly transferable skills you’re looking for.
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Invest in structured training and onboarding
Veterans don’t need handholding, but like most new hires, they will need direction. With the right support in place – clear expectations, practical onboarding, and access to upskilling – you’ll help them close any knowledge gaps and boost their confidence, which will help them transition into their new role quicker.
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Build partnerships that open doors
There are many amazing organisations like Bridge of Hope, 55/Redefined, The Back to Work (B2W) Group, Shaw Trust, and The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) that make the world of work more accessible. They specialise in supporting under-represented or overlooked talent, including veterans, and can help you build an inclusive hiring pipeline you may not have otherwise crossed paths with.
Ready to look beyond the usual CV?
Building skilled, diverse teams in rail doesn’t have to be a challenge. With the right strategy, you can bring in experienced, adaptable professionals, including veterans, who are ready to step in and make an impact.
Whether you need to upskill talent through our Train to Deploy solution or want to hand over hiring with our trusted RPO model, our workforce solutions are built to help you get work done.
Book a discovery session with our team to explore how we can help you find, train, and place the right people.
