HEIW achieves silver award for its commitment and support to the armed forces community
Wednesday 12 July 2023
Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is delighted to announce that they have been awarded the Ministry of Defence ‘Employer Recognition Scheme’ Silver Award.
The Scheme encompasses bronze, silver and gold awards for employer organisations that pledge and advocate support to the armed forces community and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
The silver award recognises HEIW as an organisation that actively demonstrates its support for the armed forces community through implementing practical policies in the workplace.
HEIW is an armed forces friendly employer that is open minded about employing reservists, armed forces veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses and partners.
Having previously achieved the Bronze award in March 2022, HEIW has since continued to demonstrate its commitment to supporting the armed forces community through:
- developing policies and a bespoke onboarding process for ex-military personnel and reservists
- establishing an Armed Forces Network to support employees at work
- actively recruiting and supporting employment and work experience of veterans and service spouses and partners
- a guaranteed interview scheme (subject to the candidate meeting the minimum essential criteria as set out job personal specifications)
- offering bespoke application and interview technique workshops to support with recognition of transferable skills and wealth of experience
- offering part-time and flexible working patterns to reservists, military partners, and spouses.
Deputy CEO and Director or Workforce and Organisational Development at HEIW, Julie Rogers, said:
"Supporting the armed forces is an integral part of our culture at HEIW. We are continually striving to grow and develop our workforce and believe that everyone deserves to be treated equally and given the same opportunities, regardless of their background.
We welcome job applications from the armed forces community and are committed to providing a supportive environment where individuals can harness their transferable skills and develop new ones – all while carving out a fulfilling and rewarding career within NHS Wales.”
A current employee at HEIW, who is also an armed forces veteran, said:
"As I approached leaving the military, I attended employment fairs in an apprehensive state.
“When I was introduced to the HEIW at one of these, I was met by positive and compassionate people that explained their ethos and shared vision to assist veterans getting into the civilian sector. They also wanted to offer help generally, in terms of personal development and job application workshops, even if it did not directly benefit their team. This represents the true and sincere meaning of their beliefs, showing that they are extremely committed and determined to assist the armed forces community.
“Even when I expressed that I felt I had nothing to offer their team, I was reassured that they would without doubt find my transferrable skills beneficial and this made me feel very supported.
“Since then, I have been successfully recruited by HEIW and the employment has been designed to suit me. The process to this point was considered to give me the best possible chance at success; literally nothing more could have been done to make me feel part of a work family again.”
If you are interested in working for HEIW, please visit heiw.nhs.wales/careers/working-for-heiw/ for more information.
Published 12 July 2023