From Military Life to New Career Horizons: How Sara Found Her Path
Introduction
The RFS Career Academy Coaching and Mentoring Programme is free to join and provides military spouses and the Armed Forces Community with the confidence, focus, and clarity of direction to achieve personal working goals and create a sustainable future.
The programme recognises that every candidate is at different stages of their journey to finding career satisfaction; by applying a bespoke, person-centred approach, we offer the best possible service to our candidates.
The programme currently has 70 active coaches who generously volunteer their time. Demand for a place on the programme is high— in January 2023, we received over 40 enquiries, with 21 candidates being ‘matched’ with coaches/mentors.
We are now actively recruiting for new coaches/mentors to support the programme and reduce our waiting list times!
Background & Challenge
Sara is a Navy veteran and an Army military spouse who has been married to David for over 16 years. Together they have three children and now live in Nottingham. After years of balancing family life and a military career, Sara was eager to transition into a new phase of her professional life.
CHALLENGE:
At the time of joining the BAE Coaching and Mentoring Programme in March 2024, Sara was employed but in a toxic work environment. This situation was having a negative impact on her professional growth and personal confidence. Sara recognised that she needed external support to assess her transferable skills and explore new career pathways, especially given her desire for a change.
Sara registered for the BAE Coaching and Mentoring Programme, seeking guidance to help her navigate her career transition. The programme was designed to assist individuals like Sara in rebuilding confidence, identifying transferable skills, and setting meaningful career goals.
Sara was paired with a BAE employee who had extensive experience in professional development and strategy. Over the course of the programme, Sara and her mentor held more than 10 mentoring sessions, where they focused on:
Rebuilding confidence: The mentor worked with Sara to address the impact of her toxic work environment, helping her rediscover her strengths and restore her self-worth.
Assessing transferable skills: Together they identified Sara's skills gained from her military background and prior roles, mapping out how they could be applied to new career opportunities.
Exploring career pathways: The coaching sessions allowed Sara to consider a range of new career possibilities, ultimately focusing on entrepreneurship and part-time opportunities.
Setting meaningful goals: The mentor assisted Sara in setting clear, actionable goals that aligned with her values and aspirations, empowering her to move forward with purpose.
The RFS Coaching and Mentoring Programme has had a profound positive impact on my development. My confidence and self-worth have increased massively through the support provided. In particular, my mentor has been instrumental in my growth, serving as a rock and providing unique insights and advice that I couldn’t access from any other source.
The mentoring I received has been incredibly valuable. It has transformed my professional outlook, helping me move from someone previously affected by a toxic work environment to someone with the confidence to run my own business and pursue part-time work.
Sara
Outcome
I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your mentoring and support. You've been an absolute rock for me during this journey. Your unique insights and advice have been invaluable—offering perspectives and guidance I couldn’t have found anywhere else. Through your coaching, my confidence and self-worth have grown enormously.
You've helped me transition from someone struggling in a toxic work environment to becoming a business owner with renewed self-belief. The impact you've had goes beyond just professional development—
you’ve helped me rebuild my sense of worth and potential.
Sara
Purpose
The Coaching and Mentoring Programme is often utilised by candidates who are unemployed due to the transient nature of their partner's employment status in the Armed Forces. Mobility affects not only their employability but also their confidence and mental wellbeing.
Candidates seek support through the programme to evaluate their situation and regain the inner strength needed to achieve their career ambitions.