Reservists at Sopra Steria

Phil Randles, Royal Navy Reserve

In the day job at Sopra Steria I am a client director, responsible for the management of an account and supporting bids with service delivery requirements.

I joined the Reserves in 1994 back when I was a student at university. Being a student, the prospect of earning money was a real motivator for me at the time. I worked in a specialism that supports the military in working with the Merchant Mariners around the globe. We ensure that the sea lines of communication are kept open and promote the security and safety of those at sea.

The training and opportunities I have been provided by being part of the Reserves have made it a lifelong career that I have immensely enjoyed. It has given me greater confidence in my own abilities, access to training that otherwise cannot be attained and opportunities to challenge and travel around the world. I have also gained experience and security clearances that are useful in my current career supporting clients in Sopra Steria’s Aerospace, Defence and Security business.

One of the best things about being a reservist is the camaraderie. Having a wide and diverse group of friends with a common interest is outstanding. The sense of worth when supporting activities and giving back to the wider country is a real motivator, even if you cannot talk about some of it.

Whilst working at Sopra Steria I have felt fully supported due to the existence of a strong HR policy that positively supports Reserve service. Having ten days of extra paid leave each year to conduct Reserve work helps with work-life balance.

My advice to those who have an interest in joining the Reserves is to reach out and talk to several reservists to understand their roles and how they accomplish them. There are a number of services to consider, as well as specialisms within each. Take the time to understand what you want to gain from a second career. Some individuals like to do something different from the normal day-to-day job, while others want to make use of civilian skills in the military. There is no right or wrong answer.

Finally be prepared for the commitment; getting through the training and career in the Reserves does take time and effort, so ensure you have the support of friends and family in your journey.

Steve Madeley, Royal Air Force Reservist

At Sopra Steria, I am a property and facilities project manager within our Finance and Corporate Services business.

Having undertaken a 26-year career as a communication electronics engineering officer (Sqn Ldr) in the RAF, I re-joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) three years ago and have just finished my final term. My reasoning for joining the Reserves was because I missed the camaraderie, breadth of personal and physical challenges and opportunities that life as an RAF reservist offers.

My role in the RAuxAF was that of an engineering flight commander responsible for a team of electrical and mechanical engineers and the servicing of aircraft ground support equipment. The opportunities that are available, both professionally and personally, are amazing.

With being a reservist it is understood that the main priority is your civilian employment, and therefore you have the flexibility to almost pick and choose what or how much you want to participate with a minimum attendance and training requirement. In my experience, I have found that reservists typically like to do a lot more than the minimum due to the level of enjoyment and personal and professional satisfaction that service brings.

If you like challenging yourself, personal development, have an adventurous or fun spirit, like meeting people and have some time to spare then I would recommend joining the Reserves, you’ll love it!

Anthony Enoh, Army Reserve

I currently work as the head of information and security in the UK Sales and Marketing Team at Sopra Steria where I am responsible for providing security consultancy advice and guidance, pre-sales.

Being a reservist has really defined who I am today. My Grandad who served in the Second World War in the Royal Navy was my main inspiration for joining the Reserves.

I joined the Army Reserve in 2008 as a mainstream reservist whilst I was studying at university. It was in 2016 when I transitioned to become a technical information specialist. In this role, I provide cyber consultancy to UK Defence and across Government.

I love how my role at Sopra Steria complements my responsibilities as a specialist in the Reserves. In the day job, I can leverage my reservist experience and I am able to apply my creative solutioning from industry to challenges in the Reserves.

The mandatory time commitment for being a reservist is 19 days, however, you find a lot of people will do more. I normally do anything between 30-40 days.

The best thing about being a reservist is having the opportunity to experience some really interesting stuff that my non-reservist colleagues would never get the chance to be involved with. There is a definite wow element to some of the things that I get to be a part of.

I believe it is fundamental for organisations to offer support to reservists and personally, I wouldn’t join a company that didn’t. One of the reasons I joined Sopra Steria was because of its HR policies that support and protect reservists.

For those considering joining the Reserves, I would emphasise that what you experience is something you can’t experience anywhere else, you get to see different things, go to different places and what you do has real-world implications which provide a great feeling of accomplishment and you get paid for it!