UK Automotive looks to ex-military to upskill industry towards electrification
25 February 2021 
The SMMT has signed an Armed Forces Covenant, pledging its commitment to advocate for recruitment and retention of ex-military personnel across the automotive industry. 55 SMMT member businesses already working towards this end, with interest rising as companies look to secure staff.
The signing reaffirms the work done through Mission Automotive, an initiative dedicated to placing ex-servicemen and women in jobs across the sector, set up in partnership with the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the forces’ charity Mission Motorsport, and supported by the Ministry of Defence.
As the UK looks to secure battery gigafactory investment ahead of the 2030 phase-out of sale for new conventional petrol and diesel engine cars and vans, SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said the industry hopes to help fill the skills gap with service leavers: “Upskilling our industry will be crucial as new technologies transform the sector, and ex-military personnel are an often-untapped talent pool that can provide these in-demand skills.
“We are incredibly proud to support Mission Motorsport in helping service leavers embark on new career paths and signing the Armed Forces Covenant cements SMMT’s long-term commitment to this cause. As events of the past year have shown, the veteran community is a real asset to automotive businesses and will be central not just to a successful and sustainable recovery, but to our future success as we transition to a connected, autonomous and zero emissions future.”
James Cameron, Mission Motorsport CEO, observed: “The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise, a commitment to ensure that those who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should not be disadvantaged by their service to the country. Service leavers and veterans are a national resource, and SMMT has been innovative in helping its members to share best practices, support each other, and harness that potential.
Johnny Mercer MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence People and Veterans, added: “By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, employers are harnessing the value that the Armed Forces community contributes to business. That is why it is vitally important that employers publicly pledge their support for the Armed Forces community – it means a lot to the cohort that we are trying to represent. In this field, it is hard to find a better exemplar of best practice than SMMT.”