On Saturday 6 December the Reservists at 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force decided to make an even more special occasion of their Annual Prize Giving celebration by inviting representatives from local Forces-friendly organisations along for an Employer Engagement afternoon.
The event welcomed employers from across various sectors, including aerospace, acadaemia and finance, providing an ideal opportunity for networking between the invited guests and hosting Reservists. Also in attendance was 602 Squadron’s Honorary Air Commodore, Charles Berry.
The afternoon began with a series of briefings that included:
- An introduction to and history of 602 by the squadron’s Officer Commanding, Squadron Leader Jim Martin.
- Two ‘Voices of Experience’ presentations from current 602 Reservists, Corporal Colin Young and Corporal Lynda Johnson, detailing how they balance their military service with their civilian jobs and the support they receive from their employers and families.
- A briefing on how the Ministry of Defence supports employers whose Reservist colleagues are mobilised for military operations, delivered by Squadron Leader Paul Bell, currently RAF Media and Comms.
Following the presentations, squadron personnel then escorted the visitors on a tour of the unit’s Ops and Heritage Rooms, which held a number of historical items including a wing fragment of the ‘Humbie Heinkel’, the first German aircraft to be shot down on British soil during the Second World War.
The tour of the Ops Room also provided interesting insights for the employers on how newly trained Reservists can plan simulated flight operations in a safe and controlled environment, furthering their practical knowledge and skills.
Back in the briefing room, a further address was provided by Honorary Air Commodore Berry on ‘The Value of Reservists’ to their civilian employers, drawing heavily on his own perspective and experience as Chairman of The Weir Group PLC, among other distinguished business roles.
This led into a Q&A session with the afternoon’s speakers and Lowland RFCA Defence Relationship Manager Duncan Evans sitting on the panel. The employers were more than happy to engage after what they had heard and learned throughout the day, asking various questions and raising a number of points about how their respective industries can further support the Armed Forces Community.
Once the Q&A session wound down, it was time to move into the squadron’s drill hall for the awards presentations, led by Flight Lieutenant Mike Dennison.
First up was the presentation of a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award by Duncan Evans to Veiled Guard, an expert security services company that has committed to supporting the Defence Community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.
Next came the 602 Squadron prizes, which included Squadron Flight of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year, Reservist of the Year and the Graham Wyllie Award, named in memory of a former 602 Reservist who recently passed away following a battle with cancer.
The event concluded with an informal buffet supper for the 602 personnel and their guests, allowing the day to round off on a relaxed and festive note.
Alan Thompson, who is responsible for Government Affairs at Skyrora, was delighted by his visit to 602 Squadron, commenting: ‘We’re really excited about the opportunity to better engage with the Reserves and understand how best to do so.
‘Our organisation has gone through some seriously rapid growth in recent months, and we’re very interested in working more with the Reserve Forces in the future, both from 602 Squadron and the wider Defence Community.’
Flight Lieutenant Thomas Podger, Officer Commanding of the neighbouring RAF Air Cadets unit, 32F Squadron, also thoroughly enjoyed the day’s presentations, saying: ‘Squadron Leader Martin has always been a keen advocate of the Air Cadets and of engaging with our young people in and around Glasgow.
‘His team have given a lot of their time and support to our Cadets, guiding them towards skills development that will help them in whatever sector they go on to work with in the future, military or otherwise.
‘Today has also been very valuable to me as a representative of the Air Cadets in being able to highlight the capabilities our young people are accessing and developing with us, and how it will enable many of them to become industry leaders in later life.’
‘It’s been a privilege to visit 602 Squadron today,’ said Gerry Hilferty, Chief Executive Officer of Brodie Engineering in Kilmarnock, which holds an ERS Gold Award for its exceptional support of Reservists, Cadets and veterans.
‘It’s been especially interesting to hear more about the skill shortages we all face in our different sectors, and to explore how we as employers can uphold our ERS values by bringing skilled Reservists into our teams and hopefully also giving them training and skill sets that they in turn can take back into their military roles.’
Lowland RFCA would like to thank all the employers who came along to the Employer Engagement event and Prize Giving, as well as the team at 602 Squadron for their outstanding hospitality throughout the day.
