From the Royal Signals to Leading Cloud Operations, Richard Berry on Why Military Leavers Thrive in Tech

The transition from military life into the civilian world can feel daunting, especially when stepping into an industry as fast-moving as technology.

In this episode of The Route to Networking Podcast, Louis Parratt sits down with Richard Berry, Global IT Operations Manager for SCC, and an IT Operations and Cloud Services leader with more than 25 years of experience across defence and enterprise environments.

After spending over two decades in the Royal Signals, Richard now leads large-scale operations teams across networking, storage, backup and cloud services. Throughout the conversation, he shares how his military background shaped his leadership style, why service leavers often underestimate their value, and what employers are really looking for when hiring ex-forces talent.

From Digital Communications to Cisco Networking

Richard joined the Royal Signals in 1999, right as digital communications and networking were beginning to accelerate.

Originally training as a systems operator, he was quickly encouraged to retrain as a technician due to a shortage of technical specialists within the Royal Signals at the time.

“That year-long course was all about the fundamentals of communications,” Richard explains. “We really broke into digital communications at the time, and that technological boom was key to where I am today.”

The retraining proved to be a turning point.

Richard went on to work across 16 countries during his military career, gaining hands-on experience with satellite communications, networking infrastructure and large-scale IT systems.

One of his earliest introductions to enterprise networking came while stationed in Cyprus.

“Defence decided they wanted to network all of it,” he says. “So they sent me back to the UK, put me on a Cisco course, and then I went back out to Cyprus and helped design and deliver the military infrastructure there.”

That experience gave him exposure to Cisco technologies as early as 2001 and laid the foundations for the rest of his career.

Why Fundamentals Matter More Than Technology

Throughout the episode, Richard repeatedly returns to one key point, understanding the fundamentals.

For him, that foundation is what allowed him to continually adapt as technology evolved.

“Everything nowadays is built on the same building blocks,” he explains. “If you understand those digital fundamentals and how technology works underneath, you can slide yourself into almost any environment.”

While he admits exams never came naturally to him, Richard found that the practical side of technology clicked immediately.

“I struggled academically at times,” he says. “But the practical elements came to me very easily, and that’s where I flourished.”

That broader understanding of networking, infrastructure and operations would later become one of his biggest advantages in leadership positions.

Leaving the Military During Covid

After 22 years in the Army, Richard left the military in 2021 during the height of Covid.

At the time, the job market was uncertain, hiring had slowed dramatically, and many organisations were still furloughing staff.

“It was quite daunting going into that job market,” he says. “No one was really hiring.”

Although he explored opportunities through Career Transition Workshops and employer events, Richard acknowledges how fortunate he was to secure a role quickly.

“I left the Army on the Friday and started work on the Monday,” he says. “But I think I was one of the very few to do that at the time.”

Despite the difficult market conditions, Richard believes the transition highlighted just how transferable military experience can be when positioned correctly.

One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is leadership.

Richard believes military leavers often underestimate how valuable their leadership experience is, particularly within technology businesses.

“We don’t really teach leadership in industry,” he explains. “You don’t go to university and learn how to become a great leader. The military starts teaching you that from day one.”

Importantly, Richard stresses that leadership is not limited to management roles.

“I’ve got engineers who don’t manage people, but they manage incidents,” he says. “I still expect them to lead situations, lead conversations and take ownership.”

That mindset, combined with strong communication skills and accountability, is something he believes many organisations actively need.

Why Service Leavers Make Strong Hires

Richard currently works alongside a large number of service leavers and says several qualities consistently stand out.

The first is proactivity.

“In the military, you’re never bored. If there’s nothing to do, you go and find something to do.”

He sees the same mentality in many ex-forces employees today.

“They stay proactive. They don’t need micromanaging. They’ll look for improvements, change and ways to move things forward.”

Another major strength is the ability to understand the bigger picture.

Rather than becoming fixated on one technical issue, Richard believes military experience teaches people to assess entire situations end-to-end.

“In incidents, some specialists dive straight into the weeds,” he explains. “Sometimes you have to pull them back and ask them to look at the wider impact.”

That broader operational awareness has become one of the biggest assets in his own career.

Translating Military Experience into Civilian Language

One of the most practical parts of the discussion centres around interviews, CVs and how military leavers present themselves.

Richard believes many people already have the skills employers want, but struggle to communicate them in a way that civilian businesses understand.

“It’s not about over-inflating yourself,” he says. “It’s about translating what you do now into business terminology.”

He encourages service leavers to research companies thoroughly, understand the organisation’s values and actively connect their military experience to what businesses are asking for.

“When companies talk about ‘customer first’, that’s no different to selfless commitment,” he explains. “The values are the same. The wording is just different.”

Richard also recommends focusing on foundational certifications and frameworks, particularly ITIL and networking fundamentals.

“Understanding incident, problem and change management is huge because that’s how industry operates,” he says.

Confidence is Often the Missing Piece

During the quick-fire round, Richard shares one of the biggest lessons he would pass onto other military leavers.

“Be confident in who you are,” he says.

He believes many people leave the forces believing they are underqualified compared to civilian candidates, when in reality they often possess stronger soft skills, leadership ability and resilience.

“More often than not, you’re better than most people you’re applying against,” he says. “You just need to understand that yourself.”

The Camaraderie That Never Leaves

When asked what he misses most about military life, Richard’s answer is immediate.

“The camaraderie”.

He now helps run a veterans’ alliance group within his current organisation, creating a support network for service leavers working across the business.

“We’ve realised just how many service leavers we have within the company,” he explains. “Coming together again, speaking the same language, there’s a real connection there.”

Final Advice for Service Leavers

As the episode closes, Richard leaves listeners with one final message.

“Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t, because you can.”

For him, military leavers bring a work ethic, mindset and leadership style that is incredibly difficult to teach.

“The values and ethos that service leavers bring are unreal,” he says. “Industry benefits massively from having them.”

If you’re considering a move from the armed forces into technology, this episode offers an honest and practical look at what that transition really looks like, and why the skills developed in the military are often far more valuable than people realise.

Listen to the Full Episode

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Route to Networking Podcast with Richard Berry.

And if you’re a service leaver considering your next move into tech, or an employer looking to better understand the value military talent can bring, this is an episode well worth your time.

Connect here with Richard Berry on LinkedIn