'I trained Prince William, but struggled on Civvy Street'

He served his country as a flying instructor and says his "prize student" was the future Prince of Wales.

But when Grant Lawrie hung up his uniform after 24 years in the RAF, he struggled with the transition to civilian life.

"I found it very difficult to not be told what to wear, not be told where to be and what to do," says the former flight sergeant, who took part in the second Gulf War as well as military operations in Afghanistan and Libya.

"It had always been told to me."

Now, in the run-up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday, Grant is calling on more employers to recruit veterans because they have invaluable transferrable skills.

They bring "many benefits", he says, including "resilience and a can-do attitude", as well as teamwork, integrity and a determination to succeed.

Grant joined up as a steward at the age of 16 and rose through the ranks to become an instructor on VC10 aircraft – long-range jets used as aerial refuelling tankers.

He says one of his proudest moments was training Prince William in emergency drills and safety training, as well as conducting his examinations.

But when he left the RAF aged 40, he says he initially found the transition to the civilian workplace difficult and struggled with a "lack of accountability and passion" outside the military.

Now 51, he has found his niche as a human resources and training manager at Parkacre, a supplements company based near Lincoln.

Grant has been keen to attract veterans to the team and believes there are parallels to be found between working on machinery on the factory floor and handling machinery in the military.

"It almost reminded me of stripping a rifle, it has to be done in a certain way," he adds. "It's exactly the same for our machinery."

Aran Woolford, 32, spent six years in the Royal Navy as an aircraft engineer before joining Parkacre as a shift maintenance engineer two months ago.

He says his new job is similar to his role in the forces and believes more veterans should be considered by employers.

"We offer so many skills through the way we've been trained. We're the perfect fit for any employee."

His training in the navy – "immediately drilled in from day one" – included discipline, team-working and communication, all skills he says he has continued to use since leaving.

Royal Navy veteran Howard Rudder, 57, is the co-owner of hiring company RecruitME, based in Grantham. His work includes reducing "resistance" when it comes to hiring ex-military people.

"Some people still have quite old-fashioned views as to what a military person looks like," he says.

According to Howard, negative views towards veterans can often stem from a "lack of knowledge".

"Veterans bring a lot of transferable skills, everything from discipline to focus," he adds.

Howard is set to attend an event demonstrating the value of military skills in the workplace later at the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks in Grantham.

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