New online resource to support employment of ex-service people

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has announced an online resource designed to give employers the confidence to hire Australian ex-service people, as well as help ex-service people translate their military skills to the civilian workplace. An initiative of the Veteran Employment Program, the website has resources for both employers and ex-service people, including veteran recruitment tips, factsheets on how to support veteran employees and real-life veteran stories.

The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Matt Keogh, said transition from Defence service was not a moment in time, but a period of significant change in a veteran’s life.

“A good, fulfilling job not only provides a sense of purpose but sets up ex-service personnel for a successful transition from the ADF to civilian life,” he said. “The ADF is an incredible training ground and ex-service personnel can bring skills like leadership, teamwork, agility and the ability to work under pressure to the civilian workplace.

“It is important that ex-service personnel are supported in translating their experiences in service to the civilian workplace and that civilian employers are provided the necessary advice to make sure ex-service personnel thrive.”

The new website, veteransemployment.gov.au, also features the insights of ex-service people on how their military service has been the launchpad to a civilian career.

They include head chef Sam Green, 30, who found employment in a large catering company after serving in the RAAF, where she had worked as a chef.

“I believe that having ‘Air Force’ on my resume made me a more desirable candidate — we understand structure and chain of command,” she said, adding that “networking is super important. Stay in contact with people you served with, because a lot of them are doing jobs now that you wouldn’t even think of.”

Peter Sanderson, 37, said he initially struggled to find meaningful work after leaving the Army. “I think the biggest challenge ex-service people face is getting to the first interview,” said Sanderson, now a Technology Application Specialist with heavy machinery manufacturer and supplier Caterpillar, and very happy in his new career.

Tom Nguyen, 41, who served in the ADF for almost 10 years, is now a freelance management consultant, having worked at McKinsey, Telstra and Salesforce. He says that while there were challenges adapting to the individualist mindset of civilian life, he found the Army had given him strong values and a maturity that helped in his new career.

“Ex-service people possess a number of qualities — discipline, dependability, team mindedness, etc — that you can take as assumed, since these are instilled into all of us who have served,” he said.

For more information about resources for ex-service people and employers, visit veteransemployment.gov.au.

Image credit: Department of Veterans’ Affairs.