Working in Mortgages EDI Group: Unlocking the power of ex-military talent – Goldie

Yet for many veterans, the most challenging part of transition is not learning a new profession, it is working out where they belong. At this month’s IMLA EDI Lunch & Learn, three colleagues who have successfully made that leap shared their journeys from military life into financial services, the skills they brought with them, and the support that helped them build thriving second careers.

The panel brought together three very different military stories. Rick Clark, now a data engineer at Aldermore, spent 11 years as an RAF electronics engineer before leaving in 1998. His transition into financial services was entirely unplanned.

He said: “I went into software development, and my first project was linked to motor finance. From there, opportunities came up, and I gradually found myself pulled into the financial world and Aldermore, where I’ve now been for 16 years. It wasn’t a conscious decision to enter the mortgage market, it’s just where my skills and the work led me.”

For Daniel Read, now a specialist mortgage adviser at The Mortgage Brain, the mortgage industry was “never the original intention.” After more than 16 years in the army, where he worked in finance, HR and regimental administration and completed multiple operational tours including Iraq and Afghanistan, he expected to move into project management.

“GCHQ is just up the road from where we live, so applying there looked like the obvious next move,” he noted.

Sponsored

Click here to view our Sponsored Content Hub

But while waiting for a security clearance decision, he took a temporary role in insurance. He explained: “It was supposed to be for a year. But I started doing my Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) exams, completed all the units, and thought: why not finish the last one and try mortgages? I found that I really enjoyed it, and here I am.”

Charles Morton, now a project manager at Aldermore, served eight years in the Royal Navy, including three years on submarines, followed by work as a mine clearance and bomb disposal officer. Alongside his operational roles, Charles completed project management qualifications during his service, supported by the military’s Pathway scheme. After leaving the navy, he initially joined Amazon and moved into logistics before progressing into project management roles in technology and, later moving across to financial services. Reflecting on that transition, he said the challenge was not capability but choice.

He explained: “The military equips you for many paths. The difficult part is deciding where you want to focus your career when suddenly everything is open to you.”

The transition to a civilian workplace

Despite their different transitions, all three spoke candidly about the invisible challenges of leaving a tightly knit military community. Clark described the sudden shift from a world where camaraderie is built into everyday life. “In the military, you’re surrounded by a couple of thousand people through the week. When you leave, all of that disappears overnight. There was nothing in place back then to help you deal with the loneliness,” he said.

Morton agreed, highlighting the loss of an instinctive cultural code, saying: “In the military, your conduct is shaped by years of shared experience. When you enter a civilian workplace, you’re trying to work out very quickly: how do people speak here? How do they expect me to behave? You have to get your feelers out and find your feet.”

Yet the strengths veterans bring with them can be transformative for employers. Read spoke passionately about the role of integrity, a value embedded in the armed forces and vital in financial services.

He said: “Integrity is doing the right thing. If I think something in a case isn’t right, I’ll say so, whether that’s a customer trying to run a regulated case through as a buy to let, or something that doesn’t sit comfortably. That honesty matters to the client and the lender.”

Clark highlighted adaptability, another hallmark of military life, saying: “Whatever situation I walk into, even if it’s nothing to do with my normal specialism, it doesn’t faze me. I’ll get under the skin of the problem and deal with it.”

For Morton, the most valuable skill he carried over was a leadership principle common in the Navy: servant leadership. He explained: “It’s the idea that you serve those you lead. In project work, that means solving people’s problems, taking their obstacles seriously, and helping them deliver. Once you do that, engagement improves. It brings the whole project together.”

Establishing a support network is key

But transitioning talent into roles is only the first step. Retaining them requires understanding the practical and emotional support they need. Read shared the story of a former military colleague who qualified as a broker but struggled to sustain business in his first few months.

He said: “He didn’t have access to a panel of leads when he started. He couldn’t write enough business to make it work. Without that early support, he drifted away from the industry.”

Structured induction, mentoring and steady early momentum, the panel agreed, are crucial.

For many veterans, mental health and wellbeing support is equally important. Clark noted that simply being able to talk openly can make a profound difference, saying: “When you leave, you lose your support network. Having someone who understands that, whether it’s a manager or another veteran, matters more than people realise.”

So how can lenders attract more ex-military talent into the sector? Morton highlighted a major untapped opportunity: the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), the MoD’s official programme for service leavers.

“Companies like Amazon and the big accounting consultancies have strong relationships with CTP. But our industry barely features. Service leavers go where CTP directs them – if we’re not visible there, they won’t know we’re an option,” he added.

He also emphasised the power of short placements, saying: “In their final months, service leavers have what’s called resettlement time, where the military pays their salary while they explore civilian opportunities. A short placement costs the employer nothing. It gives veterans exposure to financial services, and gives firms access to fantastic talent.”

As the session closed, the panel reflected on the scale of opportunity ahead. Veterans, they agreed, bring uncommon loyalty, discipline, resilience and ethical leadership, all qualities that align naturally with the responsibilities of mortgage lending, risk management, operations and customer service. But unlocking this potential requires intentional effort: visibility in the right channels, structured entry routes, and a workplace culture that understands the challenges of transition.

There is a significant opportunity for lenders to lead the way: to champion veteran recruitment, to collaborate with the CTP, and to build cultures where former service personnel feel understood, valued and able to thrive. With thoughtful support and intentional pathways, our sector can unlock a hugely capable and motivated workforce, one that brings fresh perspectives, strong values and a commitment to excellence that benefits colleagues, customers and the industry.