Helping veterans back into work

Veterans receiving practical experience from Northumberland County Council's housing team, pictured with Coun David Ledger, Armed Forces champion for the council, centre, and Laurence Green, assessor from Natural Gas Service Training, back, centre.

The housing team at Northumberland County Council has been helping armed forces veterans back into work.

The council has teamed up with Natural Gas Service Training (NGST), a national organisation, providing gas servicing training, to offer three ex-servicemen practical training to allow them to achieve a qualification in gas servicing.

NGST, which has a base in Newcastle, approached the council’s housing team to see if there was a way they could support veterans through their training.

The 16-week course with NGST included 10 weeks of practical training when they were able to shadow a member of the Homes for Northumberland team, which provided them with on-the-job experience and allowed them to achieve their qualification.

Some of the veterans are pictured with Coun David Ledger, the council’s Armed Forces champion, centre, and Laurence Green, assessor from NGST, back centre.