Engagement Team update

People

June has been a busy month with people moving in and out of the Engt team.  With the new contractor, VIVO, soon to start working with our infrastructure department in August Gary Oakford successfully secured the role of Senior Estate Manager(2) (SEM(2)).  Gary has been the REED for Cumbria and Lancashire for 2 years and has been instrumental in building support for the Reserve and Cadet Forces and wider Defence Community from the business community.  He really has been a force for good with increasing support across businesses of all sizes, from micro to large/National Brands. We wish Gary all the very best as he moves across the office to undertake his new role of SEM(2).

In late May we recruited Kerryanne Wilde to be the REED for Cumbria and Lancashire.  Kerryanne brings with her a wealth of commercial knowledge, military experience and lives in Cumbria, so will be ideally placed to be in the heart of her REED patch, and add great value to the hard work Gary has already delivered. Kerryanne has started with the team this July.

Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold and Silver Awards

On 23 May 2024 the NW ERS Silver Award Panel convened to consider this year’s award submissions.  The panel had representation from the three services, DRM, Cadets and had the REEDs in attendance to answer any questions the panel may have.  I am delighted to inform you the awards panel approved 47 of the 48 applications, another bumper year for the NW.

Huge thanks goes to the REEDs who have worked tirelessly with each business to achieve their ERS Silver Award.  It is the REEDs support, advice, guidance and mentoring which really makes all the difference when the submissions are placed before the awards panel.

The Silver Awards will take place at Manchester’s Gorton Monastery on Tue 01 Oct 2024, with the Gold Awards taking place at Liverpool’s Liver Suite (inside the Liver Building) on Thu 07 Nov 2024.

North West ERS Gold, Silver and Bronze Award numbers as at 26 Jun 24

ERS Bronze, Silver and Gold numbers continue to grow. Nationally The UK has 11,990 AFCs with 1171 of then belonging to the North West Engt team.

 

MoD Employer Engagement Review 2024

In the last update I informed you that DRM celebrates its 10^th anniversary in Apr 2024.  Gp Capt Simon Briggs RAF has been tasked to draw together a ‘Recommendations Paper’ for ACDS R&C outlining what elements of DRM’s operating model & organisational design need to be looked at in greater detail to underpin achieving ‘success over the next 10 years’.

We have now seen the EE Review, which has been endorsed by Chief of Defence People (CDP).    The review contains 7 recommendations, which will mean a change to how DRM delivers its outputs as well as a change to its current construct and operating model.

The next steps.  DRM has created 7 Tiger Teams to look at each of the specific areas of work in more detail.  The teams will collaborate with other key stakeholders across Defence, RF&C, DRM, GAA and others TBD to seek their views and opinions on each of the topic areas.  The teams are to have prepared and submitted their findings and recommendations in a report to Dir DRM NLT 02 Aug 2024.  DRM will then produce a final report for RF&C by 13 Sep 2024.

Future Engt Activities

The team has secured a number of dates and venues for events, below is a list of those we have confirmed to date:

ERS Awards 2024

• 01 Oct – ERS Silver Awards, Gorton Monastery
• 07 Nov – ERS Gold Awards, Liver Building, Liverpool

Other events

• 26 Sep – NW Gold Award Association meeting, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) Training centre, Bury
• 28 Sep  – Reserve, Cadet, CFAV and Veterans Employment Fair, Merseyside
• 04 Oct – IOM LG Engagement Luncheon with IOM businesses.

Summary

It’s been another busy period for the Engt team which continues to add huge value to the Reserve and Cadet Forces in the North West through its business contacts, the Lieutenancies, Local Authorities, Reserve and Cadet units and wider society.