Page 3900 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 19 September 2017

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We are doing this so that these highly skilled and experienced citizens can continue to be an integral and connected part of the ACT community. Employment is an important factor in feeling connected and valued. Giving our veterans a helping hand in transitioning to civilian employment is one way of honouring the commitment these skilled individuals have made to this country.

MS CHEYNE: Can the minister inform the Assembly how the ACT government as an employer can help support veterans who wish to transition to civilian employment?

MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Cheyne for the supplementary question. The ACT public service is the second-largest employer in the territory, so I will be seeking to ensure that we set a good example as an employer of veterans. As such, the government is seeking to implement a number of strategies to help those who are looking to transition to the ACT public service.

One of these is a rank-level match matrix, to help ADF members compare ADF ranks and experience with the levels and responsibilities in the ACT public service. This will help bridge the gap between defence-speak and public service speak. We will also look to flag jobs with “Defence Force experience desirable” where we see particular synergies between the skills and training of the ADF with a job in the public service. We are looking at the way we advertise jobs, after the success of other states in highlighting jobs suitable for veterans on their own veterans employment pages. There are many innovative ways of engaging with younger veterans, outside the usual public service gazette, and we will be exploring these. The government will also look to increase its engagement with ADF transition seminars so that we can promote employment possibilities in the public service directly with those who are looking to transition.

This government knows the value veterans can bring to an organisation, and we are committed to helping those who wish to make this transition to civilian life. Many jobs in the ACT government are a natural fit for those with Defence Force skills. Whether it is a military police officer moving to the professional standards unit, an electronics technician becoming an electrical inspector or a defence attaché working in stakeholder management and international engagement, there are a large number of jobs in the public service here in the ACT that would benefit from the extensive skills and experience that Defence Force members can bring.

MS ORR: Can the minister update the Assembly on what the government is doing to ensure the program is developed in a way that will meet the needs of veterans transitioning out of the ADF?

MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Orr for the supplementary question. I believe that good policy comes from good listening, and the government will shortly instigate a survey of veterans in our public service to find out their experience of transitioning to civilian life in the ACT public service. We are redesigning our HR systems to allow veterans to self-identify so that we have a good idea of the kinds of jobs that they are seeking and obtaining. In doing this we will seek to find what was helpful to veterans who were looking to transition to civilian life as well as what some of the barriers are to them doing this successfully.


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