• PGL Resettlement Training

    Forces Resettlement Training

  • My experience with leaving The Royal Marines and undertaking my next career training with PGL Training Exeter.

    Upon realisation of an injury likely to end my career I was understandably very worried about my future. I have a mortgage and bills to be paid. I couldn’t afford to be out of work or spend ages training on a low wage. I needed a challenging, hands on career. I decided that the building trade would be the best place for me. I decided plumbing would suit me best. The variation of domestic heating to the future of renewable energy to me meant that this trade was only going to continue to flourish and provide me a satisfying job for the rest of my working life.

    I checked through the ELCAS register, contacting companies that provided plumbing training and received information about the courses they offered. However, I was extremely fortunate to come across Colin Ransom at PGL Training. He understood my position having served in the military himself. After one 1 hour phone call I knew that PGL was the perfect place for my training.

    Many of the instructors have dealt with training Ex Military, they knew how to get the best out of me. I was shown what to do and given the equipment to do it. I had no one standing over me telling me constantly what to do. I was given freedom to learn in an environment where a mistake, is an extra lesson.

    Before I started the course, I was only able to do the very basic plumbing DIY, changing a ball valve on a cold-water storage cistern using a video seen on YouTube, 3 weeks later I had fitted and commissioned a bathroom, 6 weeks later I installed and successfully commissioned an Unvented Cylinder with minimal help and supervision.

    The learning curve was steep but at no point did it feel too much to take on. Every day I was learning more and building more confidence. The instructors just made everything seem easy and relaxed, that I feel I truly thrived.

    When I first started the course, I was concerned about funding for my course. I had planned to use the maximum ELCAS funding I could and put the remainder on credit card and pay it all off when I could. I knew this was a terrible plan but the only plan I had at the time. Half way through my 3rd week when I was installing the bathroom I was introduced to a member of a military charity having a tour of PGL Training. I was offered the chance to have the remainder of my course paid for. This generosity has relieved any extra stress, enabling me to concentrate fully on my new career.

    Robert Doughty, Former Royal Marine