Veteran’s successful transition into Norfolk’s offshore wind sector

Norfolk-born Richard Beck spent seven years in the British Army as a Royal Engineer, before transitioning into a career within Norfolk’s offshore wind sector.

Growing up in Happisburgh, Richard Beck has worked in renewables for the past ten years, and now works for Swedish energy group Vattenfall as operations and maintenance package manager for Norfolk Boreas and Norfolk Vanguard Projects.

Vattenfall signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant in 2019 and they have been recognised with a Silver Employer Recognition Scheme Award by the Ministry of Defence. More than six per cent of the company’s workforce comes from an Armed forces Background. Dujon Goncalves-Collins, Senior Strategy Advisor – Aviation, Defence and Radar said: “If we support ex-military to transfer their expertise into a fast-expanding industry, it not only supports them, but it is a huge benefit for our business. 

Richard Beck when he was in the army and now

Transitioning from the Army to offshore wind provided Richard with a ‘career for life’ and now the 43-year-old wants to raise the prominence of Norfolk’s offshore wind sector and the opportunities available for ex-military personnel.

Richard said: “There’s a lot of common ground between the military and the offshore wind industry. I think the fairly obvious transferable skills are technical, such as engineering, hydraulic electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. We have seen a lot of success at Grimsby, and I think Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft in particular.
Richard concluded: “Transitioning into offshore wind from the military has offered me a career for life. I feel lucky to live in a region that’s at the core of the UK’s offshore wind development. Not only are the opportunities extensive locally but also globally as an industry. I would recommend the offshore wind sector to any ex-military personnel looking for that next step in their career.”

The Reserves and Cadet presence in Norfolk spans an Army Reserve Centre in Norwich, 2 RAF bases, 8 Joint Cadet Centre locations (shared by Air Cadets and Army Cadets) with another 6 air Cadet locations and another 14 Army Cadet locations. In addition, there are 4 Sea Cadet units and 5 Combined Cadet Force locations in Norfolk. To see the Reserves and Cadets locations on a map, click here.

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