Opportunity Knocks! A Rural Recruitment Event with Officers' Association Scotland

Address and directions:

Royal Scot’s Club, 29-31 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh EH3 6QE

Google pin

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2gqoCmpdQ2i5ajuJ6

We’re teaming up with Officers' Association Scotland to organize an event to bring together SLE members (potential employers) with ex-forces personnel seeking work in civvy street (potential employees).

David Goodacre, Transformation Director with Barclays Chief Security Office, spent 25 years in the army before returning to civilian life, where he found the process of securing a job challenging. Despite his wealth of experience, his capabilities weren’t being recognized.

‘Forces personnel bring with them a varied background, a great diversity of thought and experience’ he says. ‘Lots of soldiers come from far-reaching parts of Scotland and have lots of life experience in rural areas. The military brings out the best in them. One of my close friends joined as a teenage soldier and made it all the way to Lt Col. Had it not been for the army, by his own assessment he would have been in jail.’

David found his way forward with the help of Officers’ Association Scotland and now boasts a CV that would be the envy of many aspiring leaders. 

‘Forces life equips people with many transferable skills’ he continues. ‘Project management and organizational skills, for instance, plus many desirable personal characteristics. If you’re ex-forces, you’re likely to be professional, driven, a team-player, a creative thinker full of ingenuity. And you’ll be loyal, too, with a can-do attitude that subscribes to the old adage “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”’.

If you would like to meet potential employees like David, committed professionals who look the part, will stay the course and throw their heart and soul into everything they do, then come along to our event. What’s more, anyone who is in the process of leaving the forces comes with 12 weeks resettlement leave, which means there’s a 3-month opportunity for them and you to test the waters.

‘Sometimes experience may look limited on paper’ says David, ‘but a conversation can make all the difference and lead you to that indispensable person whose interest lies in really being a part of your organization and not just having a job.’

The evening will include speakers from a variety of sectors (see details below) and a chance to network with speakers, employers and service leavers alike.

Tim Bowie, Director – Mea Opus
Tim Bowie has more than forty years’ experience and specialises in recruiting senior positions in the rural and allied sectors. He runs his own recruitment consultancy, Mea Opus.

Rob Whitson – Partner, Bell Ingram
Ex-Royal Dragoon Guard Rob Whitson left the Army in 2006 and has enjoyed a rewarding second career within the surveying profession, having been both a commercial and a rural surveyor. He lives in the Highlands and is a partner with Bell Ingram, where he is also head of land management.”

Alex Porter – Estate Manager, Kildrummy 
Alex Porter Commanded The Queen’s Royal Hussars in Germany from 2014 to 2017. After leaving the army in 2023 he took up the role of Estate Manager at Kildrummy and Glenkindie Estates; a 15,000-acre estate on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park.

Ross Ewing – Director of Moorland, Scottish Land & Estates
Ross Ewing is Director of Moorland at Scottish Land & Estates, leading SLE’s representation on moorland and wildlife management and overseeing the Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation scheme that recognises positive outcomes for nature and biodiversity through land management.  Amongst his many interests, Ross is a warfare officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, specialising in submarine operations. He currently serves as the First Lieutenant at HMS Scotia in Rosyth – the Royal Navy’s reserve unit covering east Scotland.

Mike Page – Forest Manager, Scottish Woodlands
Mike’s varied career has encompassed studies at Edinburgh University, Young Officers’ training and the All Arms Commando Course before joining 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, based in Plymouth. After leaving the army in 2012 and following several years of tertiary education, he joined the Tilhill graduate programme, remaining with Tilhill for three years before moving to Scottish Woodlands in autumn 2020.

Ruth White – Regional Manager – Central, Scottish Land & Estates
Following tours with the Corp of Royal Engineers, licensee Ruth worked in the hospitality industry before taking responsibility for estate administration at Glenprosen. Now in the role of Regional Manager for Scottish Land & Estates, her attention is focused on looking after members’ interests from her base in the Angus glens.

Tom Tongs – Building Surveyor, Galbraith

Stephen Rose – Head of Commissioning, SSE Renewables Offshore
Steve has 20 years’ experience in the electricity supply industry in operational, engineering, health and safety and construction disciplines including the thermal and renewables sectors. He is one of the co-leads for SSE’s Armed Forces Community of over 600 Reservists, veterans and services families.