As the UK marks Armed Forces Week (22-28 June), Severn Trent is shining a light on the one of its colleagues who swapped military life, for a career improving the region’s rivers.

Matt Priestley, 33, now lives near Lichfield in Staffordshire, but spent over six years serving in the British Army as an Avionics Technician with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

His role was to keep high-tech helicopters like the Apache AH-64 and Lynx Mk9 flying safely, both in the UK and on operations overseas.

“It was a demanding role, but one I loved,” says Matt. “You learn to lead, think fast, and work as a team, and they are skills that have really stuck with me.”

After leaving the forces after swapping the skies for rivers, Matt joined Severn Trent in 2022 as a Project Manager.

He’s since become a Lead Project Manager on the company’s £78 million Bathing Rivers programme—a major investment to improve water quality across the Midlands and helping move sections of river into bathing water quality across Warwickshire and Shropshire.

“I was drawn to Severn Trent because it is a company that’s known for jobs and being part of the community. I wanted to do something that made a difference, and being involved with a team who’s working in the environment really does that and is important to our customers.

“I never thought that when I was serving, that I would be working for a water company – but there’s so many different pathways, and opportunities – and the skills I learned in the forces, have been super helpful and there’s lots of growth here if you want it.”

Matt’s role sees him leading on complex projects that bring together engineers, regulators, and local communities – and says his time in the forces has helped his career grow.

He says, “Don’t underestimate the value of your experience. The skills you’ve developed – from leadership and teamwork to technical know-how and resilience, are highly transferable. I use them every day, whether it’s leading cross-functional teams, managing risk, or engaging with stakeholders.

“I’ve always been drawn to adventure—whether that was in the Army or now, exploring the outdoors. I’m proud of the work I did in the forces, particularly supporting operations that made a real difference on the ground.  I’m as equally proud to be part of a team at Severn Trent as well, delivering projects that improve the environment and benefit communities. It’s rewarding in a different sense.”

Severn Trent is proud to be a forces-friendly employer, actively supporting veterans, reservists, and their families.

It was awarded with Gold Status as part of the Armed Forces Covenant for its commitment and positive role it’s playing in supporting the armed forces and helping those adapt back to civilian life.

Over 14,000 people leave the Armed Forces every year, and Severn Trent’s internal Armed Forces Network that was set up in 2021, and has been a huge driver in support for ex-military colleagues and their families – where the company now has a thriving armed forces network in all areas of the business.

“Veterans bring so much to the table, leadership, resilience, technical know-how,” says Steve Birnie, Armed Forces Network Lead at Severn Trent. “We’re proud to have people like Matt here at Severn Trent and to support them as they build their next chapter.

“It’s not easy to return to civilian life, and we’ve been able to really look at the entire journey for service leavers, from applying for a job here, to receiving the relevant training and any additional support. We want to ensure they have the very best experience with us and ease their transition back to civilian life – this includes things like CV building workshops and providing free interview practice to go even further to help people adjust.”

Severn Trent encourages those who have left the forces and looking for their next mission to check out the opportunities the company has, especially as it’s about to deliver a huge £15bn investment across the region.

The company understands that veterans can bring skills such as - leadership, communication, problem solving, working under pressure, great team players to its business, to help deliver an exceptional service for its some eight million customers in the Midlands. 

Find out more about life at Severn Trent, and careers here: severntrent.com/careers.