A HELENSBURGH man is helping to spearhead efforts to help former military personnel and their families make a fresh start after life in the armed services.

Jim Castle, veterans and armed forces champion at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), says former service personnel can be "major assets" to both society and the wider economy.

Jim was part of a major event at GCU recently showcasing how universities and colleges are helping Armed Forces veterans find new careers and adapt to civilian life.

He has already helped more 80 veterans maximise their potential by finding new educational pathways into work.

He said the health profession, such as paramedics and nursing, is an obvious fit for many ex-military, but some have also chosen careers in environmental management, building and quantity surveying, construction, engineering and childcare.

Jim, whose father and grandfather both served in the armed forces, said: “All servicemen and women have been trained in battlefield evacuation. They learn how to treat someone who has been badly injured, to keep them alive until medics arrive and airlift them to the nearest hospital base.

“This is called ‘the golden hour’, and the theory is that if you can keep someone alive for an hour they will survive. This is a massive skill and they all have it.

“They also have physical fitness, leadership skills, decision making, commitment, respect for others, teamwork, loyalty, integrity, discipline and courage to name just a few.

“In a nutshell, they have a huge range of transferable skills, which combined with education, will maximise their potential and make them highly employable and major assets to society and the economy."

It's estimated that around 237,000 veterans of all ages and social backgrounds are currently living in Scotland, while the country is also home to more than 17,000 serving military personnel – 3,500 of them based at Faslane near Helensburgh.

Professor Valerie Webster, GCU’s deputy vice-chancellor (academic), said: “Glasgow Caledonian University is proud to be supporting our armed forces veterans and their families, particularly during what can be a challenging time as they transition from service into a civilian life seeking opportunities for further study or employment.”