Industry overview
What is shaping defence
Defence organisations work with suppliers, veterans and the public on sensitive topics. Every engagement in this sector is handled under strict confidentiality and clearance requirements.
- Indigenous manufacturing is building a new supplier base
- Veteran welfare and resettlement need better evidence
- Public perception supports recruitment
Client background
A veterans’ welfare organisation, working in United Kingdom & Canada. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- A veterans’ welfare organisation
- Sector
- Defence
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Qualitative research, Offline data collection (CATI)
Client challenge
Many personnel retire in their late thirties or forties and seek second careers. The organisation wanted to understand their aspirations and the support that would help most.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding the second-career needs of retiring service personnel.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of veterans.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 8 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 1,500 veterans.
- veterans1,500
Audiences we typically reach in defence
Defence suppliers and MSMEsVeterans and familiesServing personnel (where permitted)Young people considering careersThe general public
Geographic coverage
Coverage: United Kingdom & Canada. Markets: United Kingdom and Canada.
- United Kingdom
- Canada
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Veteran survey
- 3In-depth interviews
- 4Insight
We surveyed recently retired veterans by telephone about employment, training, finances and family priorities, and interviewed veterans who had transitioned successfully and those who had struggled.
Quantitative researchQualitative researchOffline data collection (CATI)
Sampling strategy
- veterans
- 1,500
- Telephone contacts were dialled from verified lists, with quotas tracked live by the field team.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- interviews
- 40
- Telephone interviews were run from our CATI centre, with calls monitored for quality.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Live call monitoring and recording review
- Call-back verification
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Veterans valued skills recognition and employer networks more than generic training.
Translating military experience into civilian terms was the biggest gap.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: translating military experience into civilian terms was the biggest gap.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: veterans valued skills recognition and employer networks more than generic training.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The organisation built partnerships with employers and a skills-mapping service.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: how is a defence career perceived?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.