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Each year, thousands of veterans transition from service in the Australian Defence Force into civilian life, with about 500 coming to Victoria.
We have a responsibility to ensure they have the support, resources and connections they need to build a future outside the defence force.
The skills, personal attributes and experience veterans possess are valuable resource that we in Victoria appreciate and want to make the most of.
Support for employers
We have developed a resource to raise awareness of the benefits of employing veterans:
As every experienced manager knows, an employee’s skills and capabilities
are important, but personal attributes and values really make a successful
team member.
Veterans possess qualities that contribute to a positive team culture and
add value to every organisation. They enhance productivity, solve problems
and create solutions that will exceed your expectations.
Benefits of employing a veteran
Read employer Dane Reid and veteran employee Sheree Symonds stories:
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Dane Reid has employed many people during his time as the managing
director of Computing Today, but he says the veterans who work at the business bring a unique set of skills.Computing Today has a 33-year history of providing information technology services to small and medium businesses.
Dane says it has been eye-opening to employ two veterans earlier this year, who both have strong skillsets from their time in the Australian Army. They use their experience and knowledge to quickly pick up new skills and work closely with clients to provide ongoing computing support services.
One of the veterans, Computing Today’s full-time operations manager, worked in admin and operations in the Australian Army. These organisational and process-driven skills have enabled him to transfer seamlessly into his new role.
The veterans I employ are very task-focused and take something and run with it. They go over and above, are very loyal, and want to try their best.
The Wangaratta business employs 13 staff, and Dane hopes to employ
more veterans in the future. -
Sheree Symonds is a self-confessed over-achiever who uses skills she gained from her service in the ADF to lead support for critical emergency services platforms.
Sheree served in the ADF for nine years as a communications and information systems sailor.
Her role involved working on radio networks and the IT system on board a navy vessel, sending and receiving Morse code, and encoding and decoding messages for high-speed ship manoeuvres.
After leaving the ADF, Sheree travelled and worked overseas. On her return to Australia, she used her unique skillset to support the ADF as a defence contractor.
For the last four years Sheree has worked for Telstra, receiving three promotions in that time.
The inherent work ethic that comes from the Australian Defence Force is invaluable to employers. People who have served are always ready to pick something up and run with it. Even if we don’t have the exact qualifications from the start, we are ready to tackle anything and can quickly learn and develop the skills needed in any workforce.
Sheree studies emergency management part time and volunteers at her local RSL, where she created and coordinates Altona RSL Active, a program to support her local veteran community.
Reviewed 31 May 2023