London, England: More John Deere dealers have signed the Armed Forces Covenant in support of service leavers who can resettle into roles within the agriculture and turf industries. 

At a ceremony held at the National Transition Event at Silverstone Circuit, Hunt Forest Group and Ripon Farm Services added their names to the covenant, which had already been adopted by Ben Burgess and Tallis Amos Group, as well as John Deere itself. 

Signatories pledge to ensure that those who serve, or have served, in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly and should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.

The move complements John Deere’s Military Hiring Programme, which offers service leavers new career opportunities to work on some of the world’s most advanced machinery used by farmers and turf professionals. 

Members of the armed forces have been identified as ideal candidates to bring their unique skill sets and experience to technician roles within United Kingdom and Ireland dealerships.

Those who enrol in the programme are given free, tailored training and are supported to fill vacancies within the dealership network. 

Allan Cochran, John Deere Branch Training Manager, said: “We are passionate about finding a way to give back to those who have served our country. The armed forces produce people who are highly skilled, motivated and extremely competent, and many already have the engineering skills needed to become qualified technicians.

“It’s the perfect fit for John Deere – we are able to play our part in supporting those resettling following careers in the armed forces while also attracting a different pool of people into the business.”

Nick Hill, Group Service Manager at Hunt Forest Group, said: “It was a privilege to represent Hunt Forest Group on the John Deere UK stand at the military hiring event at Silverstone.

“Meeting so many talented service personnel was a highlight and gave us a great opportunity to showcase our business and the career pathways available through the John Deere Military Hiring Programme.

“We were especially encouraged by the strong interest in technician roles from individuals bringing exceptional experience and technical discipline from their military careers.”

*John Deere is a member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.