Liverpool city region facility is home to almost 150 hi-tech businesses and its joint venture partners have all signed the Armed Forces Covenant. Tony McDonough reports

Joint venture partners behind science and innovation campus Sci-Tech Daresbury have signed the Armed Forces Covenant with a commitment to offer opportunities to ex-service men and women.

The Liverpool city region facility is home to almost 150 hi-tech businesses and Langree, Halton Council and the Science and Technology Facilities Council have all signed the covenant.

New training

It means Sci-Tech Daresbury will now support the employment of all veterans in securing roles that match their ability and experience, as well as helping them to access new training, working with the Ministry of Defence’s Career Transition Partnership (CTP).

And it will use its network of campus companies and its wider eco-system to establish a tailored employment pathway for armed service leavers as well as support campus companies through facilitating their employment of service spouses and partners this will include advertising vacancies on CTP’s website.

Alongside this, they will promote campus companies to support employees who choose to be members of the Reserve Forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible and offer support to local cadet units through STEM activities.

Skills Strategy

Signing the covenant is part of Sci-Tech Daresbury’s Talent and Skills Strategy, which focuses on developing, attracting and retaining the wide range of skills and expertise essential to burnish the campus’ and the city region’s reputation as a hot bed of science and innovation.

At the heart of the strategy is RADAR, an embedded partnership approach, which will support employer-led talent attraction and skills development and add value by enhancing the existing local talent and skills infrastructure.

Huge contribution

Speaking on behalf of the campus joint venture, Halton Council chief executive David Parr, said: “The covenant is very important because it recognises not only the very special services the armed forces carry out selflessly, but also the value that serving personnel, veterans and their families contribute to our business and our country.

“Their contribution should not be allowed to whither once they hang up their uniforms however and it’s vital that we make best use of their expertise and vast experience where they have much to offer in other walks of life.”

Geoff Nuzum, the regional employer engagement director for the NW and Isle of Man Reserve Forces’ & Cadets’ Association, added: “There are a number of benefits to business partnering with defence such as being able to access highly motivated and qualified defence people who are seeking employment regionally.”