A Comparison of Tech Careers In and Out of the Military (by Anonymous)

After I put a post up on LinkedIn recently asking for post ideas, stories and insights from those working in the industry, I received an article from someone in the Military who has some interesting insights on comparing a technology career both in uniform and out of it. They requested that they stay anonymous, which is completely fair enough. Here it is!

Technology Careers in the Military and their comparison to civilian counterparts:

I’ve been serving in the UK military for over 21 years now. I started as a young Communications Engineer (known as a Systems Engineer back then) and have worked my way up to senior technical management. I have learnt over these years that wearing the uniform in this industry (IT) can both be a blessing and a curse.

Before I go into why this is, I think it is pertinent to understand for the non-initiated what a “typical” (if there is such a thing) Communications Engineer career in the Military consists of.

Early on (i.e. the first day) you soon realise that being part of a team is better than going it alone. I’m sure many of you have seen programmes such as Bad Lads Army or Navy School and wonder why everyone is treated so badly.

The reason for this is clear: to produce a baseline for the military to work on and build you up into something they can use. For this, they have tried and tested methods and whether you like it or not, it works.

Prior to attending training in the military, you are assessed using a number of methods that they have developed over many years. Ultimately, they want to find out first and foremost whether you are suited to the military and if you are, where in the grand machine that might be.

When looking for a Communications Engineer they need to understand if you have the aptitude to be taught complicated technical subjects quickly, assimilate this information, apply it on the job often in difficult situations and environments - and be prepared to go away and study/research a topic when required.

The aim here is that eventually, you will be able to command and lead teams of engineers yourself further down the line. No different to the skills and values I am looking for in a civilian when conducting interviews (for which I have done a few).

Once trained to a basic level in both soldiering and technical skills, you are then sent to your first workplace (or unit as the military refers to it). There you learn the ropes of how to start applying the theory you have learned into practice deploying on “exercises” and taking part in other activities - including operations overseas. Alongside this you start your journey on the leadership and management road.

Ultimately, the military needs you as your career progresses to become aspirational and inspirational leaders, able to inspire your men/women to carry out their jobs and continue to instil the military ethos and standards to all you are responsible for.

This leadership journey continues through your entire career and never really ends.

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Technical Training and Onwards:

The technical training is broken into phases (known as classes), with additional training being added as you progress through your career as you progress into each class.

In between these “trade upskilling” phases, they are often augmented with specific technology courses relevant to your role at the time. They could be in-house courses or externally provided based on what is best to enable the engineer to do what the military needs them to do.

All of the training provided is aligned at least in some part to civilian equivalents meaning that engineers have the same skills and can work alongside civilian colleagues with confidence.

Often the training is provided by civilian SME’s, whether in house or not. In addition, there are opportunities for secondment within the industry - which is invaluable to the military as we can learn the best industry practices, learn from the mistakes made and share our experiences where feasible.

At this point in your career, you have a choice: you can stay as a “coal face engineer” and not progress in rank but still have a full and enjoyable career, or you can progress onto what is currently known as “supervisory” training. This training is degree level academia often leading to a bachelor’s degree, but crammed into a shorter period of time and you must go through a rigorous selection process involving examinations and robust interviews to be accepted for it.

However, the benefit here is that you are paid whilst you undergo this training (as opposed to paying for it). Once you have completed this training you are then responsible for advising commanders (Senior Leadership) on the best courses of action within your sphere of technical expertise. Which at this point will be quite wide, as you will have often done at least 11 or 12 years as a working engineer. This role will often require you to conduct considerable amounts of research in your own time and engagement with SME’s to ensure you are current and giving sound advice - as you never want to be in a position where you cannot advise the commander correctly or be able to come back to him with an informed answer.

In addition, you are responsible for the training, development and day to day management of all engineers under your control ensuring all CIS (Communication Information Systems) you are responsible for is operationally effective (often ready to deploy on operations at very short notice).

During this time, you can expect to be pulled into different areas that you may or may not have been exposed to in detail before. For example, Cybersecurity.

As a military communications Engineer, cybersecurity is at the forefront of everything you do. The enemy is always there, and we are trained very early on that protecting information and our people is the most important thing and this permeates into everything you do down to the configuration and testing of the equipment to the processes and training around it.

I have been lucky enough to become certified in several specialisms, but truth be told, I realised as I was doing these I was already trained and indoctrinated well above the standards set by them. However, it's interesting that without the letters after your name that many in the civilian sector do not recognize these inherent skills in individuals coming from what is an organization based on security.

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Why is the uniform a blessing and a curse? Ignorance on both sides (civilian and military):

I have for many years worked very closely in partnership with many civilian companies and now most of my staff are civilian Subject Matter Experts. When I tell civilian colleagues this, they cannot understand how someone “who is trained to shout at people” can manage civilians. It's very simple: you treat them with respect, get them to buy into the mission and understand their particular needs as an employee. This applies whether that be family, welfare or financial needs in addition to what drives them as human beings.

Because of this ignorance, SME’s can be afraid to come and work for the military. When someone does take the plunge, it is satisfying to see them flourish in an environment that allows them to make a difference. They realise that they are part of a big team that has one goal - “complete the mission at hand”. And regardless of whether you are military or civilian, your input is valuable, often influencing decisions. After all, this is the reason they were first brought in as an SME!

Here’s the next myth.

“The military have no idea about finances”. This is again a complete fallacy, as we are dealing daily with public money. We can’t just go into the boss, sell them a great new idea that can give us the competitive edge and get some extra funding! (I know it’s more difficult than this in reality but hear me out). We have a fixed budget that only really changes in a time of war. We rarely increase our manpower levels (and currently we are losing it quicker than we can replace) and due to logistics chain rules, we cannot just go and buy some new equipment from PC World or Amazon.

We must go through very strict purchasing processes that enforce rigid oversight of business cases, ensuring they provide value for money and are fairly competed for. Therefore, we have to work with what we have in what is an ever-changing landscape - with users that constantly want the latest innovation. It means we must get good at innovating, exploring every opportunity trying to cover every angle as well as planning ahead ensuring we get every last bit of utility out of what we have.

I always like to finish on a positive note so here is the reason why wearing the uniform in the IT industry is positive – You have influence!

When you sit down with a company to discuss their products, or are in a heated meeting about why a delivery is late, it is very clear to the provider who the end customer is. The uniform immediately draws attention and people will listen in a meeting when you say your piece (as long as you are coherent and know what you’re talking about).

And you will - because the military has spent years on training you to be an expert, to be a good leader and have the confidence to stand up alongside your civilian counterparts and get the best from them to meet your objective. You may not have immediate buying power, but your commander will listen to you and often base his final purchasing recommendation on your input.

As I look back on my career, I am thankful for what the military has done for me and what it has enabled me to be. It has channeled and challenged me at every step, and I feel I am truly a better person for it. Looking ahead, I am looking forward to integrating into civilian life and am very comfortable that I will fit in with whatever venture I decide to be involved in as I understand what it takes to be a good employee but more importantly, what it takes to be a good technical leader. I hope I can change the minds of those I meet along my journey that have the wrong impression of the military, as it will benefit society greatly to embrace the people that are leaving with valuable skills and understand that we are very similar and want the same things, we just may go about them sometimes in different ways.