Please tell me a little bit about your time in the military?
My time spent in the military all be it was a short stint was a very eye-opening experience. I pursued a career in the Royal Navy as an opportunity to gain a little life experience as I had only ever left Shetland a handful of times. I originally planned to be an air traffic controller onboard an aircraft carrier but during basic training I was given the opportunity to serve as a submariner to which I jumped at the chance. The time on board the Boat was not as I expected at all, not nearly as cramped as I thought, not nearly as smelly as I thought and very interesting indeed. Once qualified as a bubblehead I received my Dolphins on patrol onboard to which left me with a three week hangover (less said about that the better). Life on board the boats was very much different from the rest of the Navy, less of the yes sir no sir and more on first name terms unless from officers. Weird beard growing comps were commonplace while at sea and every day was a busy day. Life at sea was very quiet as you would expect, routine would fill the shift. The one thing I would say I enjoyed the most was the isolation of it all. We were locked away from the rest of the world where no one could find you, totally reliant on the crew around you which built a very strong bond. It’s the one thing I miss the most, the simplicity of life. You were there to do one job and that’s it and you have all your best mates around you to do it.
What was the biggest challenge when you got out?
Without a doubt the most difficult part of leaving is finding a place to fit in socially and for work. I came back home to find out all my friend were still doing the same old things running the same old circles to which I had no interest at all. Having been reprogramed to see the world through different eyes made it difficult to adjust to civvy street.
How did you overcome this? If you did?!
To tell the absolute truth… I drank… a lot! I spent a period of about 9 month doing the sum total of nothing, I felt completely lost until it got to the point I could not take it anymore. I started to find any kind of job I could. Working in Bars which led me on to meeting people that worked for other companies which got me moving around eventually into the job I am now.
What skills/experience gained in the military have you found the most useful in your civvy job(s)?
The most important lessons that were leaned in the forces I would say is being a team player, taking responsibility for your actions, sense of pride in what you do no matter what it is, work ethic so many kids these days expect the world to fall in their lap.
Why is Scottish Sea Farms a great place to work if you're a veteran?
I wish I had started my Civvy life sooner with Scottish sea farms I do believe it would of made the transition a lot better. Here within SSF there is a lot of different career path’s available coupled with a good command structure that supports you when needed and enables you to think for yourself. The Company itself have very good values in terms of its staff, the look after you very well. They also encourage growth and development of their staff as well as good welfare standards for the stock we produce. For me it’s a no brainer.
What single piece of advice would you offer the Calum/Steve who were just about to sign off?
Have a plan. This time is now all about you. Civvy’s are idiots yes but one day you will be one(kind of).