From Front Line to Civvy Street: The Journey from Military to Digital Engineering

Ex-military engineers bring a wealth of technical expertise in civil, aircraft, marine, automotive, systems and digital engineering. While specialist qualifications and experience are valuable, it’s their soft skills that give them a competitive edge in the civilian world. That’s why so many veterans are successfully transitioning into digital engineering, with Expleo, one of the UK’s top Forces-Friendly organisations and a global leader in engineering, leading the way. In this article, Troopr explores career pathways within Expleo and the digital engineering sectors, highlighting the key transferable skills that help veterans thrive in the civilian workforce.

Traditionally, engineering is divided into four main categories: chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. Commonly, those within the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineering are those skilled engineers who naturally make a move into civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. However, throughout the Navy, Army, and RAF, you will find skilled engineers who are making their mark in commercial engineering. But what about the shift to digital engineering? Most recently, a number of digital engineering roles, which include IT/software and computer/cyber systems roles, have seen a huge boom over the past few years. 

What is digital engineering?

Digital engineering is the art of creating, capturing and integrating data using a digital skillset. Engineering Technicians within the Royal Navy and Royal Engineers are an obvious match to become successful technicians in civvy street, as well as those within the military with highly sought-after cross-functional skills, such as communication and collaboration. But the digital engineering space is vast, with an extensive number of different roles to go into, but there is a crossover of skills.

How do your military soft skills translate to a career in digital engineering?

Wondering how your military experience fits into the world of digital engineering? The answer lies in the soft skills you’ve honed through service leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, and teamwork. These qualities are highly valued in the fast-moving world of digital engineering and can give you a real advantage as you step into a civilian career, such as:

• Strong communication skills
• Business Acumen
• Problem-solving skills
• Skilled collaborator as well as experienced in working alone and using own initiative
• Working calmly under pressure
• Delivering efficiency
• Time management
• Planning and Implementation
• Teamwork
• Adaptability and resourcefulness
• Leadership; motivating others
• Being flexible and resourceful

Hard Skills

The technical skills needed will be specifically tailored to the particular job role, so it’s best to speak to Expleo directly first but in general, there are a number of certifications and qualifications that will help with the technical experience required in this field:

• Proficiency in Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, and SQL 
• Knowledge of cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. 
• Skills in data analysis tools like Excel, SQL, Tableau, machine learning algorithms, and statistical analysis 
• Understanding network security protocols, firewalls, and encryption techniques is crucial for protecting digital systems
• Skills in User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Design
• Skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and web frameworks are essential for creating and maintaining websites. 

Veteran Journey: From Chief Petty Officer to Systems Engineering in Expleo

Philip Bishop is Systems Engineering Manager in the Marine division at Expleo. Here he talks about his journey into his role and the military skills he still uses today. 

How long have you been working at Expleo? 

Since November 2023.  

What skills and experiences did you gain during your service?

Communication skills. Working with lots of different people from different cultures, and various statuses, including juniors and seniors. When I left the Navy, I was in a leadership role as a Chief Petty Officer, so I also learnt leadership and management skills. 

I’ve also learnt about electrical engineering and systems engineering, mainly in combat systems. So, understanding how the whole combat system on submarines and ships work and how it interacts with each other. My key skill is my knowledge of integration.

What challenges did you have after leaving the Armed Forces?

I had some self-doubt. I was in the Navy for nine years, and I knew everything I was doing by then. Obviously, I was quite experienced. But it seemed daunting to jump into a new area and having to try to establish yourself in a different environment which I was not familiar with.

Feeling inspired by Philip’s journey? Expleo’s commitment is part of why they’re listed in our Top 10 UK Digital Engineering Companies Where Veterans Thrive. Explore the Forces-focused roles at Expleo and dive into more veteran success stories to see their commitment to military talent in action. Discover why Expleo is renowned as a top Forces-friendly employer on their Armed Forces careers page.