It’s been just over 12 months since we formed our alliance with BuildForce, the construction led military recruitment programme, and our relationship continues to grow as we welcome more Service leavers and veterans into our business.
Part of our commitment to the Armed Forces covenant and to BuildForce is to provide opportunities for ex-military personnel so they can successfully forge new careers outside of the military, and we’re delighted to welcome our latest recruit, Analise Hopkins, to the Amey family.
Analise served in the Corps of Royal Engineers for six years and is settling well into her new role as a Project Manager, overseeing all aspects of our projects in the Central North region, making sure they are completed within scope, within agreed timescales and that all health and safety measures are in place.
Whilst in the Royal Engineers, Analise qualified as a bricklayer and concreter at the Royal School of Military Engineering in Chatham prior to her first posting at 39 Engineer Regiment. Construction tours in South Sudan and the UAE followed before Analise moved on to 28 Engineer Regiment, where she became a C-CBRN (Counter Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) specialist
On leaving the Forces, Analise began to plan for her future and became aware of BuildForce through social media. She had also heard great things about them from other Service leavers and decided to approach them to see what support they might offer. Analise specified that she would like to work for a large business that could offer development opportunities in a wide range of areas and was referred to our HR team as a potential recruitment candidate.
Analise said “I am so pleased to have secured a position with Amey. They are part of the Armed Forces covenant and really do recognise the transferable skills that military leavers’ can bring to their business. My role is great, and I am learning something new every day. The team are friendly and extremely supportive and helped me as I started to take over my first project. I have also had the chance to shadow different project managers, so I’ve learnt lots of new skills and perspectives too.”
With Analise firmly embedded into our team we asked her if she had any advice for other Service leavers who are looking to begin their second careers.
“I would say ‘don’t underestimate your capabilities’. So many skills that we have gained from the military can be used within the construction industry, particularly communication skills. Companies like Amey are keen to use our military experiences to improve their business and they recognise how we can help them achieve it.”
Analise is due to speak at a BuildForce webinar at the end of January, which aims to support women transitioning from the military into construction. She will talk about her experience in the Forces and her new role in Amey.