After serving six years in the Royal Navy, initially as an Aircraft Engineering Technician and later as a Meteorological Observer, Mercedes decided it was time for a change, and so started the transition to civilian life, hoping to land a career in technology. Her path led her to Redeployable, where she landed an opportunity at Honeywell that turned out to be bang on. Sustainability, innovation, and a role that actually made sense of her skills

Military Background

Mercedes joined the Navy in 2018, kicking off her career as an Aircraft Engineering Technician. For four years, she worked out of Cornwall, doing everything from routine checks to full-blown engine repairs.

“Some of it is really big and complex and you can have a big team working on a single job, or some of it can be really simple—just going out there and replacing a little switch or something,” she says

She later became a meteorologist, spending two years as an observer. Her role involved crucial safety responsibilities, including monitoring weather conditions such as visibility and cloud height to keep aircraft operations running smoothly. It was this hands-on work with GIS (Global Information Systems) that sparked her fascination with tech and set her on the path out of the military, and into her current role.

Her Transition Journey

Essentially, she was ready for a change. For a new challenge.

"I was looking at jobs in tech and really struggled to find a job because I don't have the experience nor do I have a degree in cyber security or anything like that."

To address this gap, she completed CompTIA Network+ and Security+ courses in Aldershot. Despite finding these courses challenging, especially without a signals background, she found them valuable. 

She also discovered the power of LinkedIn for networking with other veterans, 

"I'd never used LinkedIn before and then I made one when I was in resettlement... there are a lot of veterans on there really willing to help you and talk about anything that you want."

Finding the Right Fit

Mercedes' journey to Honeywell began with an unexpected LinkedIn message from the Redeployable team. Initially unsure about the Building Management Systems (BMS) role, she almost didn’t pursue it. However, after digging deeper, she was pleasantly surprised by the technical depth of the role and how closely it aligned with her interests. Combine that with how it would utilise her skill set, it was a no brainer.

"When I did my research into them, they're huge. It's all about sustainability and making things more efficient and innovative. And those were things that I really liked about it."

"On paper, it's really good because it's a mixture of both my skill set and my expertise from previous jobs, and it has that tech element that I wanted in my job." ‍

Looking Forward 

As Mercedes gears up for her new role as a BMS Service Engineer, the strong parallels between her military background and the responsibilities are clear. Her aircraft engineering experience has given her solid hands-on technical skills, while her work in meteorology sharpened her attention to detail.
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She’s especially excited about the role's blend of technical work and sustainability focus—something she didn’t quite find in her military career. During her transition, she was drawn to sectors that aligned with her values: 

"The renewable energy side of things was something that I was looking at and was really interested in... it reflected my personal goals and views. I want to work somewhere that’s doing good for the planet.’

Advice for Other Veterans 

For fellow service leavers, Mercedes stresses the importance of staying open-minded when considering new roles:

"Just because you did aircraft engineering in the military doesn’t mean you should pigeonhole yourself into that specific role. There are loads of jobs out there."

She also highlights the power of research and networking with other veterans: 

"Job descriptions can be tricky to figure out. So, do your research on the role, understand what the company does, and talk to veterans already in the field—they’ll be really helpful."

We’re thrilled for Mercedes and excited to see where her career takes her next.

If you're curious about what roles your skills could match with, try our free career recommendation report. It’ll even highlight any gaps and suggest steps to fill them. It's free, so click here to get started.