Hundreds of Welsh servicemen and women made redundant in the Army cuts can rest assured that a lucrative new life can be found in the private sector.

Scott Liddle, technical director at Newport-based leading UK recruitment and training company Acorn Group, said many of the 640 members of the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh will boast particular skills which are highly sought after.

“Britain’s servicemen and women are highly trained in a range of skills and, while they may think they have only been trained for a life as a soldier, they actually possess qualities that the private sector is crying out for,” he said.

“They have leadership, logistics, mechanical engineering, administrative and IT skills that are often a perfect fit for employment in civvy street – they just need to learn how to present their eminently transferrable skills properly, which is where the likes of Acorn has been successful in helping them.

“A lot of ex-servicemen and women just don’t realise what great skills they have to offer. And when you add qualities like the discipline and loyalty they possess then their CVs can really look very impressive indeed.”

In the last three months Acorn – via it’s recently-launched Acorn Global business – has placed 29 ex-services personnel into new jobs in the lucrative mining and engineering industries in Australia where they can command salaries of up to £100,000 – four times for the equivalent employment in the UK.

“There are great opportunities for these people,” said Scott.

“The message to those servicemen and women who are facing redundancy in the recent Army cuts is to look forward to a brand new career. The key is not just to find them a job – but to find them the right job to suit the undoubted skills they have to offer.”