Sir Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth visited Forfusion's North Tyneside headquarters to meet veterans and service leavers taking part in the company's award-winning Civilian Work Attachment (CWA) programme, following Forfusion's recent King's Award for Enterprise in Promoting Opportunity.
Launched in 2018, the Civilian Work Attachment programme provides workplace experience, mentoring and career support for Armed Forces personnel preparing to leave military service. More than 60% of participants have secured employment either directly with Forfusion or through its wider partner network.
During the visit, Sir Alan met programme mentors, current participants and veterans who have successfully built careers following military service.
One of the programme’s success stories is David Withington, who joined the Civilian Work Attachment programme after serving 12 years in the Royal Air Force. Following his placement, he joined Forfusion as a Network Engineer and has since progressed to Head of Service Operations.
David said:
“After serving 12 years in the Royal Air Force, I joined the Civilian Work Attachment programme to gain exposure to civilian employment and better understand the opportunities available within the technology sector.
The experience gave me invaluable insight and helped me identify a career path that ultimately led me to join Forfusion. Today, I’m proud to lead our Service Operations team and support others as they begin their own transition journey.”
Sir Alan Campbell MP said:
“It was an honour to meet with Forfusion to congratulate everyone involved for winning the King’s Award and to speak with staff about the important work they do as they help servicemen and women make the transition into civilian life. I was pleased to thank the veterans I met for their service, but also the contribution I know they are going to make to our community.”
Steven Forrest, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Forfusion, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Sir Alan to Forfusion and share the success of our Civilian Work Attachment programme.
Receiving a King’s Award for Enterprise was a proud moment for everyone at Forfusion and reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for veterans and helping talented people build rewarding careers in IT.”
Stephen Long, Professional Services Director at Forfusion and lead of the Civilian Work Attachment programme, said:
“As someone who served in the military for 24 years, I understand the challenges many service leavers face when transitioning into civilian careers. The programme was created to help bridge that gap, giving veterans practical experience, confidence and a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them.
We’re incredibly proud of the impact it has had over the last seven years, and it was a pleasure to welcome Sir Alan to see first-hand the difference it is making.”
Forfusion is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and holds the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award. The company received a King’s Award for Enterprise in Promoting Opportunity in 2026 in recognition of its work creating pathways into technology careers and supporting social mobility.