38 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2007
The Royal Navy writes on the issues affecting you
Repair organisations
Trained
strength
Armed
at 96.8
Forces will merge in 2008
per cent
THE latest MOD manning figures
take the
shows that the UK Armed Forces
THE MOD has announced
and upgrade capability in “This announcement will
ABRO employs some 2,100
are currently at 96.8 per cent full-
it is to merge the Army
support of the Armed Forces,
ensure that the MOD retains staff, and has a head office at
time trained strength.
Base Repair Organisation
operating where appropriate
the intellectual property and Andover. As at April 1 this year, full-
Next Step
in partnership with industry.
design skills required to maintain DARA, launched in 1999 when time trained strength of the UK
(ABRO) and the Defence
operational sovereignty in key areas the RAF Maintenance Group armed Forces was 177,760 against
Aviation Repair Agency
Lord Drayson, the Minister for
as set out in the Defence Industrial
Defence Agency and the Naval
a target of 183,610.
Defence Equipment and Support,
THE ARMED Forces and (DARA) to form a new
and Technology Strategies.
Aircraft Repair Organisation
That figure comprises 172,840
the MOD have shown their
said: “In ABRO and DARA, the
defence support group.
“We will consult closely with
came together, has a head offi ce
UK regular forces, 1,590 full-time
commitment to improving
MOD owns two maintenance,
staff and trades unions as the plans
and large aircraft facility at St
reserve services personnel and
The new group will be
representation amongst ethnic
repair and overhaul businesses that
for the new organisation develop
Athan in South Wales.
3,340 Gurkhas.
minority communities by signing
formally created by April 2008,
have considerable and in some
during the course of 2007.”
The rotary wing element
There were also 17,590
up for the Next Step Foundation’s
and will focus on providing cases unique practical know-how
The merger will be subject to
is based at Gosport, DARA
untrained UK regulars and 370
Diversity Mark scheme.
a competitive in-house in maintaining land and air-based trades union consultation and
electronics at Deeside in Flintshire
untrained Gurkhas.
The MOD is the first public maintenance, repair, overhaul military equipment. appropriate Parliamentary consent.
and components at Almondbank There has been a 6.7 per cent
sector organisation to commit
in Perth. increase in the number of new
to the Diversity Mark, holders
DARA iteslf is undergoing a recruits that have joined the
of which actively encourage job
major transformation programme; Armed Forces – 1,210 up on the
applicants from ethnic minority
the Fast Jet and Engines business previous year.
backgrounds and help with their
closed in March this year, the Since April 1 2006, the
career development.
Rotary and Components proportion of females in the UK
Diversity Mark holders also
businesses are currently going regular forces has risen 0.3 per
encourage senior ethnic minority
through a sale process, and the cent to 11.6 per cent for officers,
staff to act as role models and
MOD has already announced and by 0.1 per cent to 8.8 per cent
monitor progress towards these
the retention of the electronics for other ranks.
commitments.
business at Sealand. The percentage of UK regular
A certificate to acknowledge
A decision will be taken forces from ethnic minority
the MOD’s commitment to
shortly on whether the best backgrounds continues to rise; on
diversity was received by the
value for defence can be secured April 1 the figure stood at 5.8
Under Secretary of State for by transferring the Rotary and per cent, up 0.3 per cent on the
Defence, Derek Twigg, and MOD Components businesses outside previous year.
Permanent Under Secretary and the MOD. The MOD figures from
Civil Service Diversity Champion, If not, these business units will November 1 2006 are provisional
Bill Jeffrey, from Keith Vaz also form part of the new defence because of the introduction of the
MP, patron of the Next Step support organisation. new personnel admin system.
Foundation.
Mr Twigg said: “I am delighted
that the MOD has joined this
scheme.
“The MOD and Armed Forces
are determined to become more
representative of our diverse
society, harnessing the wealth of
talent and skills of individuals
from different ethnic and religious
groups.”
Mr Vaz said: “Having the MOD
sign the Next Step Diversity
Mark as the first public sector
organisation is a real demonstration
of their commitment to diversity
at all levels.
“I hope other departments will
follow their example and join the
scheme.”
The Foundation is a non-
partisan, not-for-profit
organisation that promotes
diversity and leadership issues in
the UK. ● The Royal Navy NETS team
Thresholds
NETS benefi t for
lowered
potential students
CHANGES to the MOD’s defence
contract advertising thresholds
are set to open up more areas
THE NAVAL Education and training to prepare personnel for
of industry to supply goods and
Training Service has been set up jobs at sea at the point of need.
services.
to help everyone in the Naval From now on FEDOs will be
● WO Jeff Sheppard RN and Sgt Kev Bagshaw of the Army testing socks in the boardroom of HJ Hall
With an annual spend of £33
service achieve their potential. known as NETS Officers, and
with sales director Anton Jenkins
billion, the MOD is the UK’s single
Whether you are located near a there are more of them, according
largest customer, and leads the rest
Learning Centre, or based at sea to Lt Cdr Dan Vincent.
of Europe in the transparency of its
£3m foots the bill
or in an outstation, then NETS “We are asking NETS Officers
Officers are keen to visit and help to do a bit more than the FEDOs
tender and contract opportunities
you achieve your aspirations. used to, and in order that we can
and procedures.
NETS has been created to meet our target of getting to every
New plans to advertise more
bring a consistent and focussed unit every 18 months we now
of its lower-value contracts as of
for socks contract
approach to professional and have an extra person, bringing our
the end of last month show that
personal development, and will numbers up to nine,” he said.
the MOD aims to reaffirm its
ensure that education and training A NETS visit will deliver
engagement with a larger part of
is delivered to all sailors. education, personal and
the supplier community.
Cdr Jerry Townshend, the new professional development to the
Philip Margerison, head of the
WO JEFF Sheppard normally
boss, said: “We have pulled together ‘workplace’, and each member of
MOD’s Defence Suppliers Service,
for the duration of the contract.”
spends his days interviewing
the Base Education Centres, a ship’s company will be briefed on
welcomed the move, saying: “The
The majority of the socks to be
potential recruits for the RN at
Waterfront Learning Centres and the opportunities available through
lowering of contract thresholds is
knitted will be wool/nylon based,
the Armed Forces Careers Office
importantly the FEDOs, in order a one-to-one interview to talk about
good news for all businesses that
but there will also be a supply of
in Leicester.
to provide a seamless and unified career progression, promotion
currently supply to, or are looking
more specialist lines, such as the
But for one day he swapped his
approach to the education and opportunities and coping with the
to supply, the MOD, and also for
Coolmax Desert socks for use in
desk for the boardroom of HJ Hall
training we offer sailors at or near transition to civilian life.
buying teams within the MOD.”
extreme climates, and cotton-rich
the waterfront.” Planned visits for the future
Contracts are advertised in – trying out a range of socks. physical training socks.
That said, effectively all learning include HMS Albion, HMS
MOD Defence Contracts Bulletin The Hinckley manufacturer has The contract with HJ Hall,
assets are now part of the wider Enterprise and HMS Victorious,
magazine and online at www. just won a £3 million two-year which is celebrating its 125th
organisation and fall under the and visits to shore establishments
contracts.mod.uk contract to supply socks to the anniversary, will be managed by
NETS banner. without a Naval Education Centre
They will also be published at Armed Forces. the Defence Clothing Integrated
There are NETS Learning such as MOD Abbey Wood and
www.supply2.gov.uk Trying various ranges, Jeff Managing director of HJ Project Team (DCIPT), which is
Centres in Portsmouth, Faslane air stations at Cottesmore and
said: “These socks are thick and Hall, Guy March, said: “We are part of the Defence Equipment
and Devonport, and sailors and Wittering.
comfortable – ideal for wear in delighted to have been chosen to and Support Organisation (DE&S)
their families can enrol on courses To arrange a visit from a NETS
cold climates. supply socks to the MOD. within the MOD.
in English, maths, computing, Officer contact the NETS Ops
“It was a very different day “The production volumes Col Silas Suchanel, of the languages and other options. Team on 9380 20698.
spent modelling socks but it associated with the contract will DCIPT, said: “We are pleased to Equally, these Federated To learn more about what
gave me another opportunity to provide a solid foundation for our award the contract to HJ Hall and Learning Centres will facilitate NETS can offer you through the
promote the Royal Navy within manufacturing plant in Hinckley Co, who are a long-standing and a wide variety of Targeted Learning Centres then drop in or
the local community.” and will secure jobs in the company valued supplier to the MOD.” Employment Module and other call 9380 21133.
The Royal Navy writes on the issues affecting you
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