One of the strengths of our team at SVGC is that we have a wealth of expertise from many different organisations, including the military. We are proud to have a number of ex-service personnel working with us – especially as SVGC was originally founded to provide support to the Ministry of Defence and associated industry.
So, why and how does this help us deliver our work, today? Our Head of Analysis and Quality, Paul Stanley, who has been with SVGC for over 10 years, elaborates.
What advantages does your previous military experience have within your role today?
One of the biggest benefits is that it gives you an awareness of the ‘military mind’ and how it thinks and phrases things so you can interpret quite a bit of what is being said – including having an idea of what someone may be thinking but not saying.
This helps us to be more efficient as we are able to get to get to the crux of the customer’s issues more quickly, and, demonstrating that we understand what they are trying to achieve greatly aids the product and its approval. It also helps to gain trust in our expertise and our ethics from our clients.
Please give us a brief insight into some of your military career before SVGC?
I was part of the training management specialisation with some operational time on submarines, after which I served in the Submarine Command Team Trainer teaching Target Motion Analysis and then operational analysis. Towards the end of my career I was on the deal team for the £13.4bn Defence Training Rationalisation Project.
What one was on your favourite roles, experiences or projects and why?
The Submarine Command Team Trainer role was a highlight because I successfully trained people up in data handling systems, including narrowband analysis. I enjoyed the satisfaction of helping people not only learn but also successfully apply, that learning.
Tell us about any similarities within your role at SVGC and your previous career?
This role with SVGC is more akin to my Defence Training Rationalisation Project role – which was a partnership that comprised Qinetiq and Sodexo with Raytheon as a sub-contractor to the former. This included requirements setting and negotiating contracts, both of which we do a great deal of here at SVGC.
What we do at SVGC is never the same, our customers’ needs and requirements are so diverse it’s always changing. Being able to contribute at all stages from prospect to delivery is very satisfying and being able to respond quickly to rapid changes was useful in the military world, as well.
I love being able to bring that experience and team spirit and shared vision from my time in the military to help create the collaborative relationships that we have at SVGC. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do.
What are the advantages of working with others in the SVGC team who have different military expertise?
The biggest advantage is to be able to share insights with someone who has a similar background and potentially validate some thinking and bounce ideas off. Due to the uniqueness of the military experience and environment it really helps to have others who understand that environment.
