Michael Parr, the ex-para who’s now an electrical engineering apprentice

When former Paratrooper Michael Parr, 28, was forced to quit the regiment and way of life he loved, because of his hearing, it came as a huge blow.

The 28-year-old, from Great Glen in Leicestershire, admits: “I was absolutely devastated to find out I was being discharged from the job I loved. After all, I saw myself doing it for the foreseeable future. If anything, my biggest regret was not joining the Army as a younger man. I joined the Paras because it has one of the British Army’s toughest selection procedures and is one of its most prestigious regiments. Everything about it appealed, and I really wanted to succeed at the challenge.”

It was a career that saw Parr sent off to train on exercises all over the world, from the Falklands to Africa, America to Germany, during four years of service. And, as you’d expect in the Parachute Regiment, the elite airborne infantry which turns 80 next summer, there was also plenty of jumping out of aeroplanes.

Parr’s hearing loss, classed as H3 or moderate to severe, was first identified in one ear when he signed up to join the military in 2014. However, after a medical, and referral to a specialist, he was cleared to continue in the regiment.

“I just got on with it, really. I don’t use a hearing aid. The tinnitus is uncomfortable at times, but I’ve got used to it, and the people around me are very patient. It’s something that’s been part of my life for a long time.”

But the problem worsened, not least because Parr had to fire heavy weapons as part of his training. And his commitment to the Army and life with the Paras meant that there was no plan B.

But the Army did help with completing Parr’s CV, and keeps in touch each year. He has also had support from the Armed Forces charity SAFFA.

“Despite the devastation, I decided to throw all my energies into a new career. I had done well as a Para, so I knew I could transfer the skills I had acquired as a soldier into learning a different trade.”

After asking around, he applied for and was accepted for a four-year apprenticeship as an electrical engineer with RK Electrical Mechanical Services, which currently supports seven apprentices. Completion leads ultimately to full professional qualification. Based in Desborough, Northamptonshire, the firm provides plumbing and heating services across a variety of industry sectors, and to homes.

“I knew a little about electrics, so just decided to go for it,” Parr explains, speaking in National Apprenticeship Week.

“My company creates risk assessments for the jobs I work on, and supports me really well by creating a safe environment to work in, so the hearing loss really isn’t a huge issue. It might be a different way of life to being in the Paras, but it’s something I can enjoy and do well at. And, of course, the benefit of being an apprentice is that you can earn an income while you train.

“It may be possible for me to complete my apprenticeship in three years rather than four, and I am committed to progressing my career with this employer.”

It’s certainly not the first time Parr’s life has changed. After school, he studied farm management and agriculture at Moulton College in Northampton. He also spent a couple of years in Australia, working at farms across Victoria and New South Wales driving a combine harvester.

“I enjoyed my time in farming, but see more opportunities in what I’m doing at the moment,” says Parr.

Although he has lived in Leicestershire for nearly two decades, his father’s career, also in the military, saw the family move around Wiltshire, Cyprus, Newcastle and Northern Ireland.

Business Development Manager at RK Electrical Kye Bishop said: “We’re committed to having highly-trained staff. We’re delighted to support Michael on his training journey, and very proud to help people like him retrain. His infectious determination to succeed makes him an asset to the team, and we have no doubt that he will succeed in his chosen career path.”

For his part, Parr adds: “This may not be where I’d thought I’d be working, but I’d encourage anyone in my situation to consider an apprenticeship very seriously. Don’t let that word ‘apprentice’ put you off.”

An estimated 300,000 ex-Armed Forces personnel across the UK experience noise-related hearing loss and tinnitus. Having a hearing loss doesn’t necessarily bar you from joining the British Army. However, you will need to have a certain level of hearing. A test forms part of the entry medical examination, and applicants are given a decision based on the results of this.

• Apprentices are likely to play a key role in the national economic recovery from Covid-19.
• National Apprenticeship Week runs until Sunday 14 February.