On Wednesday 27 March 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron opened its doors at Learmonth Terrace to several local employers, inviting them to learn more about life and work within the Royal Air Force Reserve, and to network with fellow representatives of Forces-friendly employers.
The morning began, as any good morning should, with a musical welcome at the door from the Pipe Major of the RAF Central Scotland Pipes & Drums and a hearty breakfast in the 603 Squadron Drawing Room, allowing guests to meet informally over a hot drink and rolls or pastries of their choice. Included among the attendees to the event were Air Officer Scotland, Air Commodore Mark Northover MBE, the senior RAF representative for Scotland, and the squadron’s Honorary Air Commodore, His Grace the Duke of Hamilton.
Once all the guests were suitably fed and watered, the RAF Reserve Employer Engagement event began in earnest. First came the official welcome from Wing Commander Derek Read and Squadron Leader Scottie Rankin, former and current Officers Commanding of 603 Squadron respectively. This was followed by a brief address from the Duke of Hamilton, who enthusiastically emphasised the value of employer support to both the RAF Reserves and the wider Defence Community:
‘The fact of the matter is that our Reservists can only train or fight if they have the full support of their civilian employers. You support them by respecting their choice to serve. You support them when you give them the time they need to train, and you support them by providing them with an environment where their service is visibly valued in your workplace.
‘This backing is absolutely vital – it directly contributes to the security of the United Kingdom by helping us maintain a resilient force that is ready when the Nation needs it most.’
His Grace then handed proceedings back over to Wing Commander Read, who went into greater detail on the role of the RAF Reserve within Defence, and the ways in which RAF Reservists can train and deploy both at home and abroad. This presentation covered the minimum number of days that Reservists need to commit to their training (27 days per year), the various phases of initial and specialist training they can undertake, and the types of operations that Reservists may deploy on alongside their Regular RAF colleagues.
This briefing led perfectly on to the next section of the event: Voices of Experience. For this part of the morning, guests enjoyed hearing more personal testimonials from two serving Reservists. First up was Lance Corporal Kris Mackenzie, a Gunner with the RAF Regiment who outlined the many skills he has gained through his military training, and how they complement the skills he uses in his civilian role as a Product Manager with Ordnance Survey, the UK’s National Mapping Agency and a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award holder.
The second Voice of Experience came from Corporal Jill McPherson, a recently qualified member of the RAF Police who was inspired to become a Reservist after seeing how much her son was enjoying his time in the Regular RAF. Despite still being a fairly new recruit, Corporal McPherson has already acquired some career highlights to look back on fondly, such as participating in 603 Squadron’s Centenary Parade in Edinburgh last September.
The first half of the event concluded with a presentation from the Forces-friendly employer perspective, delivered by Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brodie Engineering, Gerry Hilferty. Brodie Engineering received its Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award in 2023, in acknowledgement of the organisation’s exceptional support for Armed Forces Community members within its workforce. Over the years, Brodie Engineering has facilitated leave for Reservists to deploy on operations, welcomed several service leavers into its team, hosted special Remembrance Day events, and provided invaluable work experience to local Cadets.
For his briefing, Mr Hilferty praised Reservists as being ‘twice the citizen’ for their ability to balance their everyday jobs and family lives with their military service, and highlighted the many benefits that his Reservist employees bring to the Brodie Engineering team, such as communication skills, excellent time-keeping and problem-solving, as well as resilience in the face of adversity.
With the first round of talks wrapped up, the Duke of Hamilton was once again invited to come forward to present two of the attending organisations with their ERS Bronze Awards, solidifying their commitment to the Defence Community as recent signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant. These awards were presented to Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Murray Plate Group Ltd.
After a brief pause for another round of tea and coffee, the afternoon session of the event was dedicated to a briefing on how the Royal Air Force provides financial support to businesses when any of their Reservist employees are mobilised. This support can include taking over the payment of that employee’s salary for the duration of their mobilisation, and any costs the employer incurs for recruiting temporary cover for that Reservist’s role.
The final stage of the event was a Q&A session, which gave the guests a welcome opportunity to delve deeper into some of the topics raised throughout the day. Those who did not have to rush off at the end of the event then happily accepted an invitation to take a tour of the squadron building which boasts over a century of history, having been built as a townhouse in the early 1890s and then becoming the Headquarters of 603 Squadron in 1925.
Reflecting on the day’s briefings and conversations, Squadron Leader Rankin commented: ‘The event started with a Business Breakfast for nearly 40 people who were welcomed into the squadron by the Pipe Major of the RAF Central Scotland Pipes & Drums.
‘The aim of the event was to welcome supportive employers of Reservists from all three military services, and to provide a brief on current opportunities and capabilities from the RAF perspective.
‘For me, the greatest highlight of the morning was the “Lived Experience” presentations by two current RAF Reservists, outlining the advantages of Reserve service to the employee and employer alike.
‘Overall, it was a most successful morning which finished with a lively panel discussion. 603 Squadron will be delighted to host an event like this again in the future, ensuring employers are fully informed about Reserve service and its many mutual benefits to Defence and the wider community.’
Lowland RFCA would like to thank everyone at 603 Squadron who provided such first-class hospitality throughout the day, and to all the employers who came along to what we hope was a thoroughly insightful and engaging event.
