Birmingham Metropolitan College
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Birmingham Metropolitan College will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Birmingham Metropolitan College recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

Theme 1: Employment Offer work placements and work trials to Veterans seeking employment. Adopt and promote a guaranteed interview scheme (where essential criteria is met) and actively promote vacancies on dedicated recruitment platforms. Support Reservists agreeing 2 weeks leave once per training year in order to complete mandatory career course / camp (with potential for dates within term time and subject to sufficient notice and operational needs of the organisation. Options to take as paid annual leave or unpaid leave.) Support the employment of Service spouses, partners and dependants, for example by: signing up to Forces Families Jobs; offering short-notice leave through BMets flexible, agile working, TOIL and annual leave entitlements to those whose partners are sent on deployment and working with the tri-Service Families Federations as part of our Wellbeing offer. Support annual leave to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to help them carry out their training requirement. Offer insight days to older Cadets looking for apprenticeships and further education opportunities. Engage with the Career Transition Partnership. Work with relevant charities and the Career Transition Partnership to offer work opportunities to the Wounded, Injured and Sick. Consider ways in which remote-working solutions might benefit the mobile Armed Forces Community, especially partners and spouses. Theme 2: Communications, engagement and outreach Promote the Armed Forces Covenant, the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and our support for the Armed Forces Community to our staff, students, stakeholders and wider public. Provide and promote training, such as e-learning, for our staff on the Armed Forces Community. Support or promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces Day/Week, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities. Use the Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme logos in our communications and marketing. Further develop the Uniformed Public Services page on our website to promote careers in the Armed Forces. Establish an internal Armed Forces Network, to enable staff members with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another and provide feedback to the College. Appoint an Armed Forces Champion to act as a focal point for organising and promoting support for the Armed Forces Community. Engage with and support local Armed Forces charities, for example by supporting their fundraising activities. Signpost members of the Armed Forces Community to available support, for example from Cobseo, the Veterans Gateway or statutory services in our area through dedicated pages on our online Wellbeing hub Engage with any local Armed Forces presence for example, local Army units, reservist units, Cadet forces, RAF stations and/or naval bases as needed Develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting the Covenant and the Armed Forces Community in your locality/region. Theme 3: Education Promote training and further/higher education opportunities for Service leavers, ex-Service personnel and their families. Build and strengthen links with the opportunities with the Armed Forces recognising progression routes for our students Support and promote the wellbeing of Service children, recognising the particular experiences and challenges they may face. Commit to flexibility with student recruitment, course offerings and/or admissions for students or family members who are affected by armed forces relocation.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.