Member Profile- Sarah McMillan
Fresh, Flexible and Flying!
Spending time with Sarah McMillan is both chaotic and organized. With 3 daughters, a dog, and a busy career, Sarah lays out the ground and situation before you start. She’ll let you know to expect interruptions and also, subtly, that her time is in demand. How very refreshing!
Twenty-six years in naval uniform with a background in applied military psychology, and 5 years in the Defence Industry (Marine) previous to joining Babcock Canada have allowed Sarah to leverage her skills and experience to be the VP of HR & Corporate Services for the fast-growing Canadian arm of Babcock International, a global defence contractor with significant naval, aviation and nuclear expertise. Babcock Canada is a veteran friendly employer where approximately 25% of its workforce are veterans who have proven their ability to excel in the private sector. “I think that the single biggest asset I take from my time in uniform is the willingness to make tough, rational decisions in ambiguous circumstances” she says. Again, how refreshing!
As someone who supports veterans through their leaving process, she has consistently observed two key issues repeating time and again. Firstly, service leavers will generally either underestimate the value of their skill sets that their life in uniform has given them; or they will overestimate their immediate value in the civilian marketplace. “Strong leaders with solid ethics and a keen business acumen are in high demand but there are very few roles that offer the salaries that some expect, at least not initially. I suggest researching and understanding the market to objectively gauge one’s value”.
Asked what she likes about her civilian career Sarah replies “I get more autonomy and more flexibility in my current role than I had in uniform” acknowledging the responsibilities are demanding but fundamentally different than when serving in the CAF. We are delighted to confirm that Sarah has the flexibility to block time out of her busy schedule to moderate our next panel webinar on the subject of hiring veterans on 30 March 2022.