Pegasystems Teams Up with TechVets UK to Help Bridge the Path for Veterans and Service Leavers into Technology Careers

READING, UK. – 17 May, 2021 – Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the software company that crushes business complexity at the world’s leading enterprises, is proud to announce it has formalised a partnership with TechVets UK, a not-for-profit that empowers veterans to access job opportunities in the tech sector and for businesses to capitalise on veterans’ skills.  

Pega will provide TechVets community members with access to the Pega Academy Online Learning Platform delivered as free training courses. The real benefit comes in the form of sponsorship of free Pega certifications for members who have successfully completed the required Academy training missions for their desired certifications. Formal certification is critical to enhance employment opportunities. Pega is working with its partner and client communities to continually develop the TechVets offering to promote and create clear pathways into employment opportunities for members. Furthermore, this is an ongoing commitment.  

There are barriers that exist for veteran employment today, some obvious, some less so. Many of the jobs ex-military personnel held while serving do not easily translate into civilian roles, while a combination of military acronyms and technical jargon may cause issues with the hiring process. For example, military personnel can oversee many hundreds of people in an HR office, but without a formal qualification that is recognised in civilian life, this can easily be overlooked. On a human level, there can also be unconscious bias that occurs around some employers having negative perceptions of those who have served in the military. 

The founders of TechVets identified these and many other barriers, (which can be explored in more depth in this Royal British Legion report Deployment To Employment, which explores the veteran employment gap in the UK), but also saw a huge opportunity to re-skill highly motivated, highly trained, ex-military personnel to smooth their transition into the civilian workforce, all while addressing a fast-growing skills gap in the cyber security and technology industries. 

The release of the Ministry of Defence report in April, entitled Defence in a Competitive Age, points to the need to exploit technology at pace, the specialist skills required, and the need for digitisation. In this report, the UK Government has committed to “making the UK the best country in the world to be an Armed Forces Veteran” and outlines the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. These principles underpin initiatives such as this one between Pega and TechVets.

Quotes & Commentary:

“Our organisation is built upon a strong set of foundational principles that align well with Pega including a focus on collaboration and innovation,” said James Murphy, CEO, TechVets UK. “In addition, Pega is actively investing in building Pega skills in the marketplace and winning business in areas that have particular resonance with ex-military personnel such as the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and other government departments. We knew this would be a great fit for both Pega and TechVets to have people who speak ‘MOD language’, have previously held security clearance that can easily be renewed, and are hungry to learn and experience new opportunities to build their civilian careers.”  
 
“We’re committed to supporting military personnel, service leavers, and veterans,” said Ken Stilwell, Pega’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer. There is an enormous demand for Pega skills throughout the industries we work in, and we welcome those who wish to explore a great new civilian career opportunity in the technology industry. I am very proud to be able to help those who wish to pursue this route and help fulfill the demand for Pega skills. I know the discipline, drive, and communication skills veterans bring will be invaluable as they pursue this new training and career opportunity. I’m excited to see this take off.”