At Major Recruitment, we work with employers and candidates across some of the most demanding industries in the UK. Defence, engineering, logistics, manufacturing, infrastructure – sectors where reliability, capability and leadership are not “nice to have”, they are essential!
Over time, one thing became impossible to ignore. There is an enormous amount of talent leaving the Armed Forces every year. Far too much of it is being lost, misunderstood, or underutilised in the civilian workforce.
That is why Major Forces exists.
As our dedicated veteran and ex-forces recruitment division, Major Forces was created to bridge the gap between military service and meaningful civilian careers. To help employers access one of the most capable and sometime untapped talent pools in the UK.
This is Personal, not Theoretical
Major Forces was not created as a marketing exercise or a bolt-on service, nor was it a clever pun on our company name (before you suggest it was!)
Across the wider Major Recruitment business, we already employ ex-military professionals. We work alongside veterans who have successfully transitioned into civilian roles and now bring immense value to the teams around them. Within the wider Major family, many of our people also have close family members currently serving.
So we see the:
- Impact of service life
- Challenges of military to civilian transition
- Gap between military capability and civilian understanding
This is not something we look at from the outside. This is something we experience first-hand.
What we see first-hand in veteran & ex-forces recruitment
We see highly capable service leavers questioning how to “civilianise” years of leadership, technical skill and responsibility.
We see employers under pressure. They’re facing skills shortages, rising hiring costs and increasing operational demands. All whilst struggling to assess or fully understand military experience.
And we also see good intentions on both sides that don’t always translate into good outcomes. The problem is rarely attitude or ability. More often, it’s translation, alignment and support.
This is exactly why we created Major Forces, to address this!
Why Major Forces is different
Major Forces is the Defence and Military workforce solutions division of Major Recruitment. Specialising in veteran recruitment, ex-forces jobs and military transition support.
The purpose of the division is to bridge the gap between military experience and civilian industry in a way that works for both people and businesses.
That means:
- Translating military experience into commercially relevant capability
- Helping employers understand transferable skills in a practical, realistic way
- Supporting smoother onboarding and long-term retention
- Designing workforce solutions that reduce hiring risk and cost
- Recognising that transition is not one-size-fits-all
This goes beyond recruitment alone. It is about building sustainable workforce outcomes for both veterans and employers.
Formalising a commitment we already lived by
We are very proud that Major Forces has been awarded the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award.
The Bronze Award recognises organisations that make a public commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community and promoting defence-friendly employment practices.
For us, this award represents something important, it’s not the start of our values. It’s the point at which those values were formally recognised and structured.
Bronze is our starting point, it’s absolutely not our destination.
What supporting the armed forces community really looks like
Supporting the Armed Forces community is not about statements or badges alone.
It is about:
- Fair access to opportunity
- Realistic role alignment
- Long-term success, not short-term placement
- Accountability on both sides
Major Forces exists to ensure that military talent is not only hired, but understood, supported and retained. Whilst helping organisations build stronger, more resilient teams through veteran and ex-forces recruitment.
The future of ex-forces recruitment in the UK
As workforce pressures continue to grow and industries face increasing demand on skills, experience and leadership, the need for practical, credible workforce solutions has never been greater.
Veterans and service leavers represent an extraordinary pool of untapped potential for UK employers across defence, engineering, infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics and beyond.
Major Forces will continue to evolve, shaped by real experience, real outcomes and real partnerships.
This blog marks the beginning of that journey, shared openly, because transparency matters.
About Major Forces
Major Forces is the Defence and Military workforce solutions division of Major Recruitment, working with organisations across the UK to deliver practical, sustainable workforce solutions across defence-aligned and critical industries.
We specialise in veteran recruitment, ex-forces careers, military transition support and defence workforce solutions. Helping service leavers build meaningful civilian careers and helping employers access exceptional military talent.