Meet the Expert: Lorraine Cadle

Welcome to 'Meet the Expert', our news series that brings you informative interviews with Armed Forces researchers, policy makers, and service providers. Read on to learn about current work, aspirations for progress and future work, and insights into expert perspectives on key issues impacting the Armed Forces community. 

In this issue, we interviewed Lorraine Cadle, Director of Employment at The Forces Employment Charity (FEC), which helps Service leavers, Veterans, reservists, and their families to achieve their full potential in employment. As Director of Employment, Lorraine is responsible for the charity’s delivery of services to the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) resettlement provision. 

1. Please tell us about your background and how you came to be involved in work relating to the Armed Forces community.

My journey into working with the Armed Forces community began after I left the Royal Navy, where I served as an Operator/Maintainer Communications specialist on Type 42 destroyers. Like many Service leavers, I initially had doubts about the transferability of my military skills to the civilian job market. During my resettlement process, I was fortunate to have the guidance of Jenny Hughes, my Career Transition Partnership (CTP) resettlement employment advisor, who helped me to recognise and showcase the skills I had gained in the Navy. She encouraged me to apply for a role with the Forces Employment Charity, which I approached more as practice for future interviews.

To my surprise, I was offered the job, marking the beginning of a 26-year career within the charity. I started in 1999 as an HR and Accounts Administrator and quickly found a passion for supporting Service leavers and employers. I transitioned into a London Employment Consultant role, and from there, I advanced through various leadership positions, eventually becoming the Director of Employment. Along the way, I discovered my passion for employer engagement and saw firsthand how vital it is to connect Service leavers with opportunities that align with their skills and experience.

In many ways, my career within the charity mirrors the structure of a military career, with constant role changes and the opportunity to learn new skills.

2. What projects are you currently working on, and how do they fit into the bigger picture of understanding and supporting the Armed Forces community?

Currently, I’m involved in a key project to strengthen employer engagement, ensuring there are plenty of meaningful opportunities for those transitioning from the Armed Forces. We’re focusing on building long-term partnerships with companies to help them understand the unique skills and experiences that Service leavers and Veterans bring to the workplace. By informing employers about the value of hiring Veterans and offering them tailored support to access this pool of talent, we’re helping to create more inclusive job opportunities across all sectors.

Additionally, I’m part of a team improving the resources available to Service leavers. This includes enhancing our job-matching capabilities to ensure that individuals are not only finding jobs but also finding sustainable and fulfilling careers.

These efforts fit into the larger picture of supporting the Armed Forces community by addressing the challenges that Service leavers face when transitioning to civilian employment, including gaps in civilian work experience, gaining recognised qualifications and understanding the language of the job market. By providing comprehensive support that includes employer engagement, career coaching, skill development, and enhanced services through the new CTP contract, we aim to create a smoother transition for Service leavers, ultimately helping them to thrive in civilian life.

3. What other areas and issues relating to the Armed Forces community are you especially passionate about or feel need further attention? Please expand on this and tell us about them as much as you can.

I am particularly passionate about supporting military women in their transition to civilian employment. Historically, female Service leavers have faced unique challenges when entering the workforce. These challenges range from underrepresentation in certain industries to difficulties in translating military experience into civilian job qualifications. CTP and FEC are providing the right support to help women navigate their transition successfully and find meaningful employment that values their skills and experiences.

FEC has a Families Programme which supports spouses and partners of still-Serving personnel and Veterans; the vast majority of the participants are female. Understandably, Service life can impact the whole family. Frequent moves, relatively isolated locations and employer reluctance often impact the ability of military spouses, and partners to build ‘normal’ lives and careers. Many individuals experience challenges in finding jobs and face barriers to career progression due to gaps in their CVs. FEC’s dedicated Advisors are spouses; they understand the challenges and provide one-to-one advice and guidance, as well as employability and employment support. This includes bespoke career and training diagnostics, CV and application assistance, interview techniques, coaching and mentoring, links to local businesses, and access to our extensive database of nationwide employers.

One of the key initiatives FEC leads on is a flagship event for Women into Employment. This event was specifically designed to provide female Service leavers, Veterans and partners with tailored advice, networking opportunities, and access to employers who are committed to diversifying their workforce and supporting women from the Armed Forces community. Now in its fifth year, the last one took place in March 2025 and was a huge success. Events like this help to raise awareness, provide visibility, and create more opportunities for female Veterans and partners to thrive in the civilian workforce.

4. What are your future aspirations for the impact and utilisation of your or your organisation's wider work?

The future aspirations of the Forces Employment Charity focus on creating lasting, meaningful change in the lives of Service leavers and ensuring they have the support needed to excel in civilian life.

A key part of this vision is the continued expansion and development of Op NOVA, a program designed to provide specialised support for individuals facing additional challenges, who are in contact with the justice system, enabling them to access the services they need. As FEC expands our NOVA justice services into Scotland and Wales, the goal is to ensure that every Veteran, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to tailored support and resources that empower them to achieve sustainable and fulfilling lives.

FEC has been supporting Veterans for 140 years, and our aim is to remain at the forefront of providing high-quality, accessible employment support to the Armed Forces community for many years to come!

5. What do you think are the key challenges impacting current Veterans and their families, and how do you think policy or provision of services can be best used to address them?

Challenges can vary widely based on individual circumstances, and many Veterans will make a seamless transition without too much difficulty. However, some of the more common challenges facing Veterans and their families as they transition from military to civilian life include:

• Employment Transition: While most make a successful transition to civilian employment, for some, transitioning can be a challenge. They may require additional support to translate their military skills into civilian qualifications and I would strongly advocate engagement with CTP as early as possible. Support is available to every Service leaver, regardless of time served or reason for leaving. The challenges can be greater for those who have served for many years, as they may find it difficult to navigate an ever-changing civilian job market.
• Housing and Financial Stability: For some Veterans, securing stable housing or adjusting to a new financial situation after leaving the military can be challenging. Particularly now with the current cost of living. For those leaving the Services, they can attend a Financial Aspects of Resettlement workshop through CTP to help them assess their options, as well as make them aware of wider support.
• Family Impact: The impact of military Service on families is often overlooked. Families of Veterans may also experience challenges, stress, and difficulty adjusting to a new civilian life. The whole family needs support during this transition, as they may be moving house and all changing jobs or schools simultaneously, as well as adjusting to a new family dynamic.

6. What do you think will be the leading challenges for the next generation of Veterans, and how do you think policy or provision of services can be best used to address them?

The leading challenges for the next generation of Veterans are likely to evolve based on changing societal, technological, and economic landscapes.

For me, I think that digital skills are key. In today's fast-paced digital economy, adapting to new technology isn’t just helpful—it’s vital. Whether you're managing logistics or leading a team, digital skills are essential. The digital tools used in the Armed Forces are often specialised, secure and not widely used in the commercial world. Therefore, retraining and gaining civilian qualifications are essential for anyone looking to go into tech roles. Service leavers can access courses to upskill via CTP during their resettlement. FEC offers the TechVets programme, designed specifically to bridge this gap for Veterans and their families. It provides access to free digital training and networks to support careers in tech.

7. Can you tell us about your favourite part of your current work with the Armed Forces community and why?

My favourite part of my role is attending the CTP Employment Fairs around the UK. There is always a fantastic buzz in the room as Service leavers and Veterans engage with employers, gaining first-hand insight into how their skills can be applied in a new business and exploring exciting opportunities. At every event, without fail, I will speak to an exhibitor who has been a Service leaver at a previous event, and now they are back representing their new employer and offering new career opportunities to the attendees. Hearing their success stories and how well they have landed in their new role is incredibly rewarding.

There’s no greater sense of purpose than knowing that the work we do has a real, positive impact on people’s lives, and giving them the tools to build successful careers after their military Service.

8. Given unlimited funding and time, what would be your dream project to undertake involving the Armed Forces community?

If funding were unlimited, I would develop a nationwide television campaign aimed at employers to raise awareness about the incredible value that Veterans and their families bring to the workforce. This would focus on informing employers about the unique skills Veterans have, as well as promoting the importance of supporting military families in the workforce. The campaign would emphasise the value they bring to the workplace and the reasons it is good for an employer’s bottom line to hire from this talent pool. It would promote the adaptability, resilience, and leadership skills they offer and help eliminate any stigma attached to military stereotypes, thereby improving their employment prospects.

Many thanks to Lorraine Cadle for sharing her insights.

Catch us next month for another interesting and informative interview with an expert from the Armed Forces community.