A new and unique Veterans’ Employment Community platform is being launched on 1st December to offer a place where service leavers and veterans can come together to help themselves, and each other, find meaningful employment.
JobOppO House provides a trusted meeting place for veterans to discuss everything to do with employment and employability, while exchanging experiences and tips and introducing their own networks. The transition from military to veteran can be challenging for some but the support doesn’t end when the boots come off.
JobOppO House will enable veterans and service leavers to mix with others who have been where they are and are keen and willing to offer support and advice, as well as enabling them to better understand and articulate the skills they have to offer.
‘OppOs’ can then move over to the exclusive jobs board on https://www.joboppo.co.uk/ when they’re ready to take the next step and start researching and applying for positions.
Dominic O’Sullivan, an RAF veteran and the JobOppO House Community Manager, said: “JobOppO House is all about veterans helping veterans and encouraging those who’ve successfully found employment to send the ladder down to help those behind them.
“What’s really important is that our OppOs can talk in a safe environment with people they automatically trust. It’s not an open forum – all OppOs will be asked to confirm their military service when they apply to join.”
JobOppO House focuses on providing education, insight and introductions into certain sectors, sectors the team at JobOppO understand to be the most receptive and attractive to their community – all designed to create a network of like-minded people free from employers and recruitment agencies.
Prior to the formal launch, JobOppO House invited more than 100 veterans and service leavers to help refine functionality and ensure the community is effective when the team open the front door.
One of the Original OppOs, RAF Warrant Officer Martin Kenworthy, said: “In August I entered my final two years in the Royal Air Force, having served for 34 years. I was really struggling to know what I wanted to do next.
“I attended a CTP Workshop which helped with the CV side of it, but I still could not pin a new career path down, which was starting to make me anxious.
“The opportunity arose to help with the trial of JobOppO House, and through a few conversations with the several OppOs that have been through similar transitions I now understand that I have many transferable skills and can look at many new career options.
“The big thing for me is the realisation there are like-minded individuals within JobOppO House that have already walked a similar path and are happy to share their experiences.”
JobOppO House offers an array of content, such as blog posts and podcasts covering a range of topics related to veteran employment, together with tips and resources to help veterans get themselves ready for the world of work outside the military.
JobOppO’s Director of Veteran Engagement and Army veteran Garrath Williams said: “We are pleased to offer JobOppO House as an agenda and algorithm free community to empower our empathetic and supportive community to help themselves and to help others.
“We recognise the challenges and opportunities change from as soon as you sign off – and more so the longer people have been out. But you’re long time a veteran!”
To join JobOppO House, veterans and service leavers can quickly download the app from the App Store or Play Store. Once they have answered a few simple questions they will be given keys to a fantastic and supportive Veterans’ Employment Community.
