Veolia employs many ex-servicemen and women across Birmingham, all joining the company after spending time in the armed forces. With Remembrance Day this week, Veolia wanted to share the experience of one of its employees who has taken the step from the military back into civilian life.
Carl Hart, a team leader at Veolia’s energy recovery plant in Tyseley, Birmingham, spent 12 years in the Royal Navy as a marine engineer. He signed up to the Navy when he was 17 and travelled the world, serving on four ships. In 2006 he was part of a task group that evacuated British Citizens out of Lebanon during the Israeli-Lebanese Conflict. Carl describes his life in the Royal Navy and how he made the move to Veolia:
“I spent my late teens and most of my twenties in the Navy and loved every minute. It gave me the opportunity to see the world, work with some amazing people and learn invaluable skills, especially in leadership and management, which I’ve been able to take with me to Veolia. My experiences also helped me to gain the confidence to make quick decisions, often in pressurised situations.
“Making the decision to leave the Navy was one I didn’t take lightly, and I did have worries about how I would fit into a ‘normal’ job. I had spent 12 years living a very structured way of life. But I needn’t have worried – Veolia has helped me settle into civilian life so well. I’ve been able to develop a career with the company and I’ve received lots of training. There are more similarities between life in the Navy and Veolia than I first thought. For example, in the Navy a key part of my role was to keep the ship moving and at Veolia I’m working to keep the energy recovery plant working continuously. So while they are completely different industries, the processes are similar.”
Toby Terlet, general manager for Veolia in Birmingham, commented: “Carl has made a great transition into life here at Veolia. The energy recovery plant in Tyseley, Birmingham, is generating renewable energy from Birmingham’s waste every day and Carl’s brilliant engineering and leadership skills make him a great asset to the team.
“We always encourage ex-servicemen and women to join us here at Veolia in Birmingham. There are so many valuable skills that they gain in the forces that lend themselves to the work we do here. They also have an exceptional attitude to work, taking so much pride in their job. And they have the ability to keep calm under intense pressure. All these qualities, which are essential in the military, are also highly sought-after within our industry.
“Another reason is our culture. The team is a big part of life here, just as it is in the armed forces. Everyone is expected to look out for each other and we all work together to get the job done.
“We are delighted to have Carl and all of our ex-servicemen and women on board.”