THREE ex-soldiers are parading a new set of skills after swapping army life for college.
Richard Rush, John Kirtland and Danny Jones have all secured top jobs with civil engineering company Wood Transmission & Distribution Ltd after successfully taking the Building Heroes course at Darlington College.
The trio will now be involved in major operations involving the installation of cabling from wind farms to sub stations across the country.
It’s a far cry from the dangerous jobs they had in the army patrolling Afghanistan for many years but their discipline and transferable skills are proving to be a boon for their new employer.
John, 41, of Darlington, spent 25 years in the Army Air Corp, reaching regimental quartermaster sergeant. He completed three tours of Afghanistan and at one point manned a general purpose machine gun in the doorway of a Lynx helicopter which flew to provide cover for Chinooks.
“I used to watch the tracer rounds flying up towards us,” he said. “It was like something out of Star Wars. But I made sure I sat on some armour so it was ok.”
Danny, 43, also of Darlington, spent 25 years in the Royal Yorkshire Regiment ending as regimental sergeant major. He saw action in the Balkans conflict and completed five tours of Afghanistan.
“We used to call it extreme paintballing,” he said. “But the army gives you the tools so it becomes second nature. Train hard, fight easy.”
Richard, 42, of Middlesbrough, served for 22 years in the REME reaching artificer sergeant major. He served in Helmand province.
He said: “After 22 years in the army, civilian life was definitely going to be an adjustment. But I’d heard about the Building Heroes course and it was really good because everyone on it was ex-military.
“Learning bricklaying, rendering, plastering, plumbing and joinery was great as it was so hands-on, not like I remember school, and the tutors were really good. I’m still friends with some of the guys I met on the course. Now, working for Wood Transmission & Distribution Ltd is going really well.”
John said: “I thought I was going to struggle as I had never known anything else but the military but it has worked out really well and we still enjoy plenty of banter. I wanted to learn some trades and the course was great. I found out about Wood Transmission & Distribution Ltd by accident when I walked passed a careers fair at the Dolphin Centre.”
Danny said: “I’d come to the end of my service and didn’t even know how to write a CV properly – the first attempt was 10 pages. I had a friend who worked for Wood and it seemed to offer the same ethos and values as the army.
“The Building Heroes course got me in the right mindset for work which was invaluable. The tutor’s knowledge was second to none and it was great being around like-minded people. The atmosphere at Wood is also so welcoming giving the new starters a sense of wellbeing.”
Darlington College tutor Alan Gibson said: “The transition to civilian life can be tough for many servicemen and the Building Heroes course is the perfect way to ease them into the next stage of their lives.
“They learn invaluable skills, most importantly, with fellow ex-servicemen so it isn’t the culture shock that civilian life otherwise could be.”
For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk.