BMet celebrates Silver Award for its support of the Armed Forces on Remembrance Day

BMet celebrates Silver Award for its support of the Armed Forces on Remembrance Day

BMet has been officially honoured with the Silver Award under the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), in recognition of the college’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.

The prestigious award was presented at a special ceremony held at the National Memorial Arboretum.

BMet’s Director of Business Development and Employer Engagement, Rebecca Bond, attended the event alongside Uniformed Protective Services Lecturer, Marc Jones, who is also a military veteran who proudly accepted the award on behalf of the college.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same.

The news is being shared on 11 November to mark Remembrance Day, with BMet among 331 organisations across the UK recognised this year.

To achieve Silver status, organisations must proactively demonstrate that service personnel, veterans and military families are not unfairly disadvantaged during recruitment and selection processes. Silver holders must also maintain supportive HR policies for Active Reservists—including providing at least five days of additional leave for training and offer workplace flexibility for Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

Beyond its internal policies, BMet continues to champion pathways for students looking to enter the uniformed services, notably through its Uniformed Public Services (UPS) courses, where employees like Marc Jones bring invaluable real-world military experience into the classroom to inspire the next generation.

Rebecca Bond said: “Receiving the Silver Award at the National Memorial Arboretum was a truly proud moment for everyone at BMet. Having Marc accept the award on the college’s behalf made the occasion even more meaningful, given his own background as a veteran and the fantastic work he does with our Uniformed Public Services Students.

“As we mark Remembrance Day, this recognition is a fitting tribute to our ongoing pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant. We are committed to ensuring that veterans, reservists and military families are valued, supported and given every opportunity to thrive within our college community.”

Marc Jones said: “As a veteran, it was a genuine honour to accept the Silver Award on behalf of BMet at such a poignant venue. Knowing that my employer actively champions the Armed Forces community, both in its support for staff and through the opportunities we create for our Uniformed Public Services students, makes me immensely proud to be part of the BMet team.”

BMet previously achieved Bronze status under the scheme and will now look to build on its Silver accreditation by continuing to advocate for the Armed Forces community across the West Midlands.