Jobs for ex-military: engineering, technical and civilian careers

This page leads with engineering and technical routes: maintenance, automation, electrical and electronics, aircraft maintenance, field service, 3D printing and quality. It also covers planning and leadership (project, production, logistics, transport and facilities management), digital and intelligence work, driving and rail, and security, safety or teaching. It lists 22 jobs with ONS pay: 19 have a median above the UK full-time median of £39,039 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Yes. Technical trades that fault-find on electrical, electronic or mechanical equipment are a strong base for automation technician roles, which add PLC and robot skills. Enhanced Learning Credits can help pay for level 3 and above courses if you registered in service. Our robotics and automation guide has the apprenticeships and routes.

Of the 22 routes here, train driver has the highest ONS full-time median at £76,327, followed by project management at £59,834 (ONS ASHE 2025). A median covers everyone in the job, including people with years of experience, so it is not a starting salary.

It depends on how long you served. Over 6 years: the Career Transition Partnership's Core Resettlement Programme, from 2 years before discharge to 2 years after, with up to 35 days of resettlement time. 4 to 6 years: the Employment Support Programme over the same window. Under 4 years: CTP Future Horizons for 2 years after discharge. CTP Assist covers medical discharges regardless of time served (GOV.UK).

An MOD scheme that pays towards nationally recognised qualifications at level 3 or above with an approved provider, in each of up to three separate financial years (ELCAS). If you registered during service and left on or after 1 April 2016, you can claim for up to 5 years after discharge (GOV.UK).

Yes, if you registered while serving. GOV.UK says you can keep claiming for up to 5 years after your discharge date, or 10 years for some earlier leavers and some medical discharges. You can also combine credits with the Individual Resettlement Training Costs grant towards tuition fees.

In the Civil Service, yes. Under the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme you progress to the next stage for most vacancies, whether that is an interview or an online test. HM Prison and Probation Service runs Advance into Justice for veterans and their spouses or civil partners, and employers who sign the Armed Forces Covenant may offer their own guaranteed interview schemes (GOV.UK).

Yes. GOV.UK points veterans who left more than 2 years ago to Op ASCEND: Careers After Service, a free, government-backed scheme run by the Forces Employment Charity, with specialist employment advice and access to veteran-friendly employers.

Yes. Get Into Teaching offers a £40,000 tax-free bursary, paid as £20,000 in each of the last 2 years, to veterans training through a bachelor's degree with QTS to teach secondary biology, chemistry, computing, languages, maths or physics, if they left full-time service no more than 5 years before the course. You do not need a degree or QTS to teach in further education.

Yes. The National Careers Service says you first complete the Level 3 Certificate for Working as a Close Protection Operative with an SIA-approved provider and hold a close protection first aid qualification. The licence costs £204 from 1 April 2026 and lasts 3 years (SIA).

Yes, through a train operating company's trainee scheme or the Train driver apprenticeship, which the National Careers Service says takes 1 to 2 years. It lists medical and background checks and living within 45 minutes to 1 hour of the depot. The ONS full-time median was £76,327 (ONS ASHE 2025).

13,050 people left the UK Regular Armed Forces in the 12 months to 30 June 2026, down 970 on the year before. Voluntary outflow was 60.6% of outflow from the trained strength, 5,800 people (MOD, Quarterly service personnel statistics).

ONS ASHE Table 14 publishes no pay figures for the two armed forces unit groups (officers, and non-commissioned officers and other ranks). So this page compares civilian jobs with the UK full-time median for all employees, £39,039 in 2025, instead of with service pay.

For most routes on this page, no. Maintenance, automation, electrical and other technician roles, project, logistics and facilities management, cyber, driving and security all have documented routes without a degree. Teaching in a state school needs a degree and QTS.

You can use CTP Future Horizons for 2 years after discharge (GOV.UK). Apprenticeships have no upper age limit, and Skills Bootcamps are free for adults in England, with a guaranteed job interview at the end.

Yes. GOV.UK says the Forces Employment Charity supports spouses and partners of serving personnel and veterans, including those who are separated, divorced or bereaved.