The British Army
Employer of the Year Award, sponsored by NOCN Group
The British Army has won a national award for its commitment to social mobility and essential skills, recognising the central role that lifelong learning plays in developing military capability and in preparing Army personnel for successful civilian careers after service.
The Army was presented with the Employer of the Year Award at the Get the Nation Learning Awards 2026, held on 4 November at The Royal Society in London. Sponsored by NOCN Group, the award celebrates employers who go the extra mile to invest in skills and reduce inequalities in access to training at work.
Judges praised the breadth and scale of the British Army’s offer. This totals £11m each year and spans both military training and skills for careers in ten sectors, including construction, healthcare, and manufacturing. Literacy, numeracy and digital skills provide the foundations for military capability, but also for future life and work. Around 4,500 soldiers gain literacy and numeracy qualifications alongside digital skills training annually. Service personnel also benefit from undergraduate and postgraduate study as well as research placements. Together, these opportunities create a more skilled workforce, strengthen the Army’s ability modernise, and enable personnel to translate their military experience into future civilian careers.
The Army also has a significant focus on social mobility and equality: twice as many recruits aged 16-24 come from the lowest income quartile compared to the highest income quartile, while a third (34%) of students at the Army’s main training centre having special educational needs. By identifying potential, removing barriers to learning and investing in people, individuals from all backgrounds are provided with opportunities to progress while the Army benefits from the widest possible range of skills, experience and perspectives. The Get the Nation Learning Awards are part of Get the Nation Learning Week, running from 2–6 November. Led by Learning and Work Institute and backed by more than 220 organisations, the Get the Nation Learning campaign celebrates the power of lifelong learning to change lives, strengthen communities and support better work.
Major General Jonathan Chestnutt CBE, Director Personnel at the British Army, said:
“Learning is not an additional benefit of service: it is fundamental to how the Army creates and sustains military capability. By developing the skills, knowledge and professional judgement of our people, we build a workforce that can adapt, exploit new technology and meet the demands of a changing operating environment. This award also recognises our commitment to every soldier, both during service and their lives beyond it.”
Staff Sergeant Bradley Mortin, who is currently undertaking a fully funded part-time PhD while serving in the British Army, said:
“The British Army has transformed my life through its commitment to lifelong learning and continuous career development. Having left school with no GCSEs, the Army has literally taken me to PhD-level education. I am not alone. Soldiers are equipped with nationally recognised qualifications, transferable skills, and the confidence to succeed during and after military service. I am now drawing on my own experience to help empower the next generation of soldiers.”
Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute, said:
“The British Army does remarkable work to support social mobility and provide adults with a wide range of learning opportunities. By investing in career development and helping service personnel make a positive transition to civilian life, it is opening up opportunities during and beyond their military careers. We are thrilled to name the British Army Employer of the Year at this year’s Get the Nation Learning Awards.”
Graham Hasting-Evans, Chief Executive at NOCN Group, said:
“The British Army demonstrates the difference employers can make when learning is central to working life. From essential literacy and numeracy to specialist qualifications and university study, its investment gives service personnel opportunities to develop throughout their careers. By supporting people from a wide range of backgrounds and learning needs, it is helping remove barriers to progression and strengthen social mobility. These skills also provide a valuable foundation for the transition to civilian employment, benefiting individuals and the industries they go on to join. We are proud to sponsor the Employer of the Year Award and congratulate the British Army on this well-deserved recognition.”
