East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA) recently brought together employers with some of our Reserve Forces to develop future leaders’ skills at another successful engagement and learning event.
The event brought together ambitious professionals from across the region to learn leadership skills from some of those who know them best—uniformed reservists from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
The free one-day professional development course, offered exclusively to local employers under the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme, combines military leadership principles with practical applications.
The programme offers a fresh perspectives on leadership that can transform civilian careers and is designed for employees identified as having senior management potential. Among this year’s participants was a member of the RFCA’s own Alternative Venues team named Dan.
Nominated by his departmental head as someone with the potential to work up to a senior management position, Dan joined delegates from employers around the region who engage with the Defence community and champion reservists, veterans, cadet force adult volunteers and their families within their workforce.
“It was a really good experience,” Dan said after taking part in the Future Leader programme.
“The [3 Royal Anglian] instructors were very friendly and made sure everything ran smoothly. I liked how open and welcoming of questions the guys in uniform were as it allowed us to learn about their individual experiences in the Army.”
Future Leader events make use of the British Army’s proven approach to leadership development, bringing military discipline and teamwork principles into a civilian context. Through a series of command tasks, participants tackle practical challenges that require direction, teamwork and effective resource management.
These activities are designed to encourage cooperation while participants put their individual leadership qualities to work.
For Dan, the networking opportunities proved valuable alongside the formal training. He said: “I was able to meet a lot of people from around East Anglia, all of whom were very friendly and engaging. It was interesting to learn about everyone’s connection to Defence.”
The Future Leader programme’s impact extends beyond immediate skill development. Dan reported gaining a “much clearer understanding of the values, teamwork, and discipline that are central to the Army” as a result of taking part.
Significantly, the experience also opened his eyes to new possibilities. “It helped me to view the Reserve Forces as a career due to the wide range of opportunities and pathways on offer [while I continue my civilian work],” he said.
This realisation exemplifies Future Leader’s dual purpose—not only developing leadership capabilities that participants can immediately apply in their civilian roles but also demonstrating the exceptional skills and value that reservists can bring to their own workplaces. The fact that the entire course is delivered by reservists highlights the first-class leadership abilities they develop through uniformed service.
The success of Future Leader reflects the strength of partnerships between East Anglia RFCA, our region’s reservists and local employers who are committed to supporting Defence personnel through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
Events similar to Future Leader are run by selected Army Reserve Units at different locations across East Anglia. To find out more about upcoming courses and express interest in sending members of your team to one of these events, please contact our Employer Engagement team.
