In Conversation with… Laura Blair

As a military veteran, Laura Blair understands first-hand what it means to step into an entirely new chapter. As Head of Pathways at Centrica, she now helps veterans and elite athletes recognise the value of their skills, build confidence in their potential, and find rewarding careers where they can thrive. In this edition of 'In Conversations With...', Laura shares her own journey, the lessons she's learned from remarkable people, and why talent doesn't always come packaged in the way we expect.

Welcome to ‘In Conversation with…’ Laura. Please start by telling us a bit about yourself.

I’m Laura, Head of Pathways at Centrica. I lead our work around military and elite athlete talent, helping people recognise how the skills and experience they’ve built in very different environments can translate into really rewarding careers within our business.

Tell us about your journey into talent and workforce pathways. What attracted you to supporting military personnel and elite athletes as they transition into new careers?

As a veteran myself, I feel a really personal connection to this work. I know what it’s like to leave a career and an environment that has shaped you and then have to work out where your experience, skills and strengths might fit next. What I’ve really come to appreciate is just how diverse the talent is across the military and elite athlete communities. We’re talking about people who can join the business at every level, from apprentices through to experienced specialists, senior leaders and directors. They bring technical and professional capability, but also lived experience, adaptability, resilience and leadership. For Centrica, that feels particularly relevant when we think about the future. The transition to cleaner energy and the changing world of work will require new skills, different perspectives and people who are comfortable navigating change. For me, that’s what Pathways is really about. It’s helping people see what they already have to offer, while also connecting Centrica with a diverse pool of talent that can help us build the capabilities we’ll need for the future.

What qualities do you find stand out most and translate well into the workplace?

Adaptability is a big one for me. Both military personnel and elite athletes are used to changing environments, dealing with pressure, overcoming setbacks and continually learning and improving. You also see bags of leadership, creativity, resilience, teamwork and accountability. But I think it’s important that we look beyond some of those more obvious qualities too. There are people coming from these backgrounds with fantastic experience in transformation, stakeholder management, planning and problem solving. Often, the challenge isn’t whether they have the skills; it’s simply recognising those skills when they’re described in a different language or context.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions organisations have about talent from these backgrounds?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that military talent naturally belongs in security, engineering or operational roles, or that elite athletes are best suited to roles linked to sport and wellbeing. In reality, the talent is much broader than that, and we’re seeing that first-hand at Centrica. People from these backgrounds can move into everything from transformation and HR to commercial, digital, project management and leadership roles. For me, it comes back to being open-minded about where talent can come from. If we only look in the places we’ve always looked, we risk missing some really capable people with different experiences and perspectives. The other reality is that this talent is in demand across UK Plc. Other organisations are recognising the value these communities can bring, so we need to be in the game too, making sure Centrica stands out as a place where people can build their next career and contribute to our future.

Are there stories that have particularly inspired you throughout your career?

There have been so many. The stories that probably stay with me most are the people who arrive wondering whether what they’ve done before will really be relevant in a corporate environment. Then you see their confidence start to grow. They begin to recognise how much they actually have to offer, find their feet in the business and go on to progress, gain promotions and make a real impact. Seeing that journey is incredibly rewarding. It’s also a great reminder that talent doesn’t always come packaged in the way we might traditionally expect it to.

How do alternative talent pathways strengthen an organisation's culture and performance?

I think they encourage us to look at talent a little differently. If we continually recruit people from the same backgrounds and career routes, there’s a risk that we also bring in very similar experiences and ways of thinking. Alternative pathways introduce people who have learned, led, performed and solved problems in completely different environments. That mix of experience can bring fresh thinking into teams, challenge some of our assumptions and help us build a broader and more adaptable workforce, particularly as the business continues to change.

What advice would you give hiring managers considering candidates from non-traditional backgrounds?

I’d say be curious and don’t get too caught up looking for an exact match. Someone coming from the military or elite sport might not use the same language as somebody who has spent ten years in a corporate environment, so take a little time to understand what they’ve actually done. Ask about the problems they’ve solved, the people they’ve influenced, the decisions they’ve made and the outcomes they’ve delivered. Quite often, when you dig a little deeper, you realise just how transferable that experience is. Ultimately, look at capability and potential, not just familiarity.

How can employers better support people during these transitions?

 I think the first thing is recognising that getting someone through the door is only the start. You can be incredibly experienced and capable but still need help understanding a new culture, the language people use, how an organisation is structured and simply how things get done. Those things can be very different when you’ve spent years in the military or elite sport. Good onboarding, a mentor or buddy, clear expectations and regular conversations can make a huge difference. And it works both ways. We also need to help managers understand the talent coming into their teams, rather than expecting the individual to do all of the adapting.

What's something you've learned from veterans or elite athletes that has changed your own perspective?

Probably that careers really don't have to be linear. I’ve seen people move into roles they might never have imagined themselves doing and absolutely thrive. It’s really reinforced for me that your previous job title doesn’t define what you’re capable of doing next. Sometimes the biggest challenge isn’t capability at all. It’s helping somebody recognise how much of what they already know and can do is transferable.

Is there a piece of advice that has stayed with you throughout your career?

Don't wait until you feel completely ready. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had have involved stepping into something new and figuring parts of it out as I’ve gone along.

I think there’s a lot to be said for being willing to learn, asking questions and occasionally putting yourself outside your comfort zone. That’s often where I've found the greatest opportunities to grow.

If someone reading this is considering their next chapter after military service or elite sport, what would you want them to know?

I’d say, don't underestimate what you already bring. When you leave the military or elite sport, you can be stepping away from an environment where you’ve built your identity, expertise and credibility over many years. Moving into something completely different can sometimes feel like starting again, but you’re absolutely not starting from zero. You’re bringing all of that experience with you: the leadership, resilience, adaptability, judgement and everything you’ve learned along the way. Part of the transition is simply learning how to translate that into a different environment. And finally, your next career doesn't have to look anything like your last one. Be open-minded, be curious and give yourself permission to explore where your capabilities could take you.

Thank you for your time, Laura.