Attracting veterans to local government

Each year about 1,200 veterans leave the Australian Defence Forces to join the civilian community.

An estimated 200,000 ex-ADF members live across NSW, possessing many of the skills, experience and values sought by local government.

The recently released NSW Veterans Strategy 2021-2024 and the NSW Veterans Action Plan 2021-2024 highlight four areas of focus for the NSW Government to recognise and assist veterans – recognition and commemoration, education and employment, community and volunteering, and support.

Local government is being called upon to do more to create pathways to employment in:

Action 2.7 Preferred Employers: Local Government Employment Initiative.

Build on the existing "Rank to Grade Guide" for local government and work with LGNSW to promote local councils as veterans’ employers of choice.

Encourage local government to record veteran status in employment records to enable the baseline measurement and evaluation of veteran employment programs and initiatives.

To support local government’s efforts to attract veterans, Careers at Council will be featuring stories of local government employees who have successfully transitioned from a career in the military (read more on the website and follow our stories on LinkedIn).

Careers at Council will also be an exhibitor at the ADF Transition Seminar in Sydney on 17 August 2021. Councils are invited to join LGNSW and Campbelltown City Council at this event to speak to veterans and their families about job opportunities in local government.

For more information, please email Jennifer James.

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