As the author of this month’s blog, allow me to introduce myself, I’m Alex Forbes and I have worked as part of the #BuildForce Team for 6 months now. My role as one of the Support Managers and also Legal Counsel is completely different to my previous career as a family lawyer. I still use some of the transferable skills I learned in the #legal environment and as the first point of contact after registration, I really enjoy chatting to our Service Leavers and #Veterans with varied backgrounds and experiences. It always makes me feel proud when I know the role we fulfil here has helped someone find their new career.
Why you may ask, did I leave the world of law? Well, lots of reasons really, having a young family and trying to juggle law didn’t give me any flexibility. When the pandemic hit, this gave me the break I needed to reassess my working life. The legal profession is inflexible and there is an emphasis on being in the office 24/7. Rarely are you encouraged to be part of a team and there is still a very outdated view of flexible working. Now I can work when it’s convenient to me and I can be there when my little people need me. I feel supported as part of a team which is a wonderful novelty. We are an inclusive and supportive bunch and I hope this shows when you as Veterans and Service Leavers come through the programme.
Many of you will have received a phone call from me to induct, discuss and inform you about what we do here at BuildForce and hopefully as someone who has made a career transition myself, I can empathise and put you at ease about the process.
Alex Forbes