James Grant – Ex Military
Following a purposeful 16-year career in the Irish Guards, James decided to change direction. There are so many words to describe his career in the military up until that point. Rewarding, challenging, disciplined – but James was at a stage in his life where his wife and two boys had to be his priority. With a family to support and a mortgage to pay, he knew he had accomplished so much and gained countless skills in the Irish Guards, but his time had come to embrace a new challenge. That challenge would be starting a career in construction.
Here is James’s story (or part of it), from military to construction, the highs and the lows, and his journey into construction plant.
Describe your journey in the military, your rank, progression, experiences? – Following enlistment, I completed my training in Catterick and joined the Irish Guards in 2008. Within 3-months I was deployed on my first operational tour to Afghanistan as a Guardsman. At Catterick, I was named as ‘Best Recruit’ which was a huge honour and gave me a taste for what was to come. From there, my natural competitive side came out.
My first tour of Afghanistan was testing and a total shock to the system. I was 22 years old and prior to that, I was a hod carrier, living for the weekend. That first tour was just the start and opened my eyes to military life. I followed on with 2 tours of Belize and tours of Kenya, the Falkland Islands, Oman, France and South Sudan. They all came with their own challenges, but always with an opportunity to grow as a person along the way.
In my later years, I became an Army Instructor and only 18-months ago, I left the Irish Guards as a Platoon Sergeant with 35 service members under my command. I had so much opportunity in the Irish Guards and embraced every moment of it. Upon leaving, my military conduct was assessed as exemplary. Leaving was one of the scariest things I have ever had to do!
Did you always know you would join the military? – Definitely not. I was ‘politely’ asked to leave school at 15, and just went into bricklaying. It wasn’t until I was 22 that I asked myself, what am I doing with my life? My Dad then told me that I am joining the Army. To this day, that is the best decision I made. I found my calling. I accelerated through the ranks. I was part of a brother and sisterhood that only those who serve can understand.
Why did you join the construction industry after your military career? – If I am totally honest, pay was a huge factor in my decision. Choosing to leave the Irish Guards was solely because I needed a well-compensated long-term career. The money in the military worked for me when I was younger, but with a family to provide for, I had to explore lucrative career opportunities. I found out about the Flannery Skills Bootcamp in Plant Operations through a family friend, and after a lot of research into the profession, it ticked all the right boxes.
What was your experience of the Skills Bootcamp? – I was totally new to plant and machinery. I wasn’t mechanically minded, as my job in the military was land-based. So, I was apprehensive, but the years served have helped me to manage that side of things. I remember one day, I was doing a walk around the machine, labelling all the machine components to the trainer and my classmates. The trainer immediately said to me, ‘you are ex-military’. I said back, so are you! I suppose it is just the way we hold ourselves that you recognise it. Also, that we are usually 20 minutes early! Overall, the training was amazing. I realised that many of the skills I learnt in the military, transferred over to plant operation.
What skills did you learn in the military that transfer over to construction plant? – As a Platoon Sergeant, we call it the Four D’s: Demand, Duration, Destination and Delivery. If you use the ‘Four D’s’ when working with plant, they transfer over entirely. Going back to the daily check walk around, in the military, we would call this POL’ing (petrol, oils, lubricants). We would have to check our vehicle before every shift. I’m doing the same task now, except on a piece of plant and it is called a pre-use check.
Did you have any fears or reservations about joining the industry? – I had no idea what to expect. I’ve come from a high-adrenaline career background where every day was totally different and new challenges are thrown at you every day. I was addicted to that lifestyle, so I was worried that I wouldn’t get the same buzz or dopamine hits that I’m so use to. I’ve now been working on plant for 18 months, and I have to say, no two days are the same. There are always new things to learn (especially construction terminology). Every day is like a school day now.
What machines have you been trained on since joining the industry? – I initially trained on a Roller and Dumper at the Skills Bootcamp. Thankfully, I was used to working in the outdoors, so driving machines without cabs didn’t faze me. I later upskilled on a 360 excavator, with lifting operations and GPS training. I’m now driving a 5T excavator on HS2, West Ruislip. Since then, I’ve completed my NVQ for a couple of the machines too and my next step is training on the Dozer. As I say, everyday is a school day!
What is your preferred machine so far? – I enjoy driving the 5T excavator. Being small also makes it very versatile. I don’t have one set task – I could be muck-shifting one minute and grading the next. It’s a great machine to build your skills on.
Do you think your time in the military has helped you transition to site life? – 100%. Like with the military, you undergo initial training at training centres, but then you are straight out in the field. Your main learning comes from being on the job. The process for both is very similar, except construction doesn’t have the added pressure of being shot at.
Did you face any challenges when you first commenced work on site? – On my first day, I received feedback that I was potentially too fresh for the job. That did knock my confidence a bit, but I also knew that I needed the site experience to learn properly. Thankfully, one of the senior foremen on-site really liked my attitude and aptitude to learn, so kept me on the job. I’m like a sponge. I made a good first impression. A few months into working on site, I got my first award, for my ability to act with integrity and respect. That was a proud moment, much like when I was recognised as ‘Best Recruit’ in the military.
What do you enjoy most about working on plant? – I like the responsibility it comes with. It’s a different type of responsibility to that of a Platoon Sergeant. Whilst I no longer have a team of 35 to look after, I do have the responsibility of looking after my machine and delivering the work to the highest standard. It’s a nice feeling to only be responsible for myself, my machine and the work I am delivering. Yes, everything I do impacts the overall project, so I take the responsibility seriously, however it is slightly different from having the weight of 35 service members on your shoulders.
Do you feel you have taken the right career direction? – Most days, I have no doubt that I have made the best choice. The money is great, and I enjoy the new challenges I face each day. There are also days when I will speak to one of my military mates, and they tell me what they are up to, most recently heading out to Belize. At those points I question everything as I will always miss the adrenaline that comes with that work. But after a chat with the wife at the end of the day, I soon realise that my decision was the best for me and my family at this time. I built so many amazing memories in the military and gained loads of skills. Now it is time to focus on my family, while showing the construction industry what I have to offer.
Would you recommend this career path to other ex-military and service members? – Absolutely. If I can take this huge leap, then anyone can. I was and still am so committed to military life, but this career decision has given me a new level of work-life-balance and financial security, that I would never have been able to maintain in my other role. I will always be grateful to the Irish Guards, and they will always sit in my heart. Every opportunity and everything I learnt, has set me up for so many possibilities. Plant operation is just the start. I would love to progress further within Flannery and use my instructor skills to train others in the future.
