The national rail contractor was awarded a ‘Bronze’ status certification in recognition of its support for progressing the careers of veterans and positioning itself as a forces-friendly employer.

The accolade was achieved through the Armed Forces Covenant’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), which acknowledges employers who have provided exceptional support to the armed forces community by going above and beyond their covenant pledges.

The ERS identifies different levels of commitment provided by employers through a three-tier system offering Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, allowing the Ministry of Defence to publicly thank and honour organisations for their support.

QTS Group has also appointed an Armed Forces Champion within the business, with Jane McFadzean, Workforce Development Coordinator, taking on the role. Jane was instrumental in helping the firm to achieve the award.

She said: “I’m so pleased to be the new QTS Armed Forces Champion. Being able to tap into the skills, experience and knowledge of the armed forces community adds significant benefit to QTS Group and helps to ensure we have a diverse and inclusive workforce.

“Since taking on the role, my goal has been to achieve the ‘Bronze’ status by linking up with the Community Transition Partnership, the Ministry of Defence and our local cadet groups.

“Our plans for the future include developing our policy on supporting reservists and their spouses and coordinating work placements for individuals looking for valuable work experience in the railway industry, with the chance of securing full-time work. We’re aiming to achieve our ‘Gold’ status soon and look forward to meeting and working with more ex-military personnel.”