Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Transitioning from defence life to civilian life can be a difficult process. Military service is a unique experience and it brings with it a range of skills that can help our veterans navigate their way through civilian employment. Unfortunately, this practical experience and training does not always translate well into recognised qualifications in the civilian world. A review of defence training establishments found that the training provided there was not in line with civilian training establishments. This means that employment training for many defence members no longer provides the same civilian recognised certificate it used to. For those leaving the ADF the defence RTO can be used free of charge to have their skills recognised, but anyone still serving full-time needs to pay a civilian-run RTO for that service.

With members whose military training has not entirely translated into civilian qualifications, it can be difficult for an employer to understand what those skills mean. In places like Canberra, where military service is a boon in a CV, this isn't much of an obstacle—but Canberra's biting winter is not for everyone. For those who return to a home where the service is not always understood, there are guides that try to translate military skills into plain language. But a decades-long career boiled down to a one-page document doesn't always cut it. To better support the ADF personnel transitioning to the civilian world, more education and resources are needed for employers who may not realise the goldmine that they have in an ex-ADF member looking to join their employment.