1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: A bit of a change of pace because we're going 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: to find out a bit more about the Prime Minister's 3 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: National Veterans Employment Awards and how they support the veteran 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: community as nominations are now open and one of the 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: award recipients joins me on the line. His name is 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: David jam Here is the Vertical Scope Group CEO. 7 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, David, Hi. 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 3: Katie, how are you doing. Thanks for having me on 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 3: this one oh four point nine Darlin. 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, wonderful to have you on the show mate. 11 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: Firstly, what does Vertical Scope Group do and how does 12 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 1: it support veterans? 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 3: Yeah? Sure, So we're a security clear professional services company, 14 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 3: so we work nationally providing the defense to national security 15 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 3: community a range of different services as well as industry. 16 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 3: So that brings us in turn to work closely with 17 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 3: the veteran community, their partners and their and supporting their families. 18 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 3: So what we do is get we provide. We're basically 19 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 3: preparing the people of today for the jobs of tomorrow, 20 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 3: providing innovative workforce solutions and helping the veteran community. In 21 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 3: Australia's first people, those who served countries, those who come 22 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 3: from country. 23 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: So tell me, what is it about veterans and their 24 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: skills and their skill set that make them such valuable employees. 25 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a great question, Katie. So veterans bring a 26 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 3: huge range of transferable I guess soft and hard skills 27 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 3: to all employers. And I guess also they also bring 28 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 3: a really strong set of values which all smart and 29 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 3: inclusive employers should embrace. So I guess back to their values, 30 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 3: they've really mission focused. It's probably one of the biggest 31 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 3: things that you know that I think that is sort 32 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 3: of underutilized and unrecognized for us. I know that that 33 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 3: aligns with our sort of company's mission of advancing Australia's 34 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 3: national interests in sovereign capabilities. But it's also I guess 35 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: they're by nature of sort of how they've been trained 36 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 3: and how they've been I guess grown. They bring things 37 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 3: like attitude, aptitude, their IQ, their EQUE, their grit and adaptability. 38 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 3: So you take for example, like an office who's gone 39 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 3: through his General Service office, the commission course, there's already 40 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: been an investment made of like anywhere up to like 41 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 3: three hundred and four hundred thousand dollars by the Commonwealth. 42 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,119 Speaker 3: So when you when you employ these veterans, you get 43 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 3: all of these other additional skills like their leadership, teamwork, discipline, 44 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 3: ability to prioritize, as well as their hard skills. And 45 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 3: you have to remember all pretty much within the defense course, 46 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 3: there's all of those roles comparable. Most of those roles 47 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 3: are comparable to the civilian world, like warehousing, logistics, administration. 48 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 3: It so just about I guess, embracing that and then 49 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 3: providing them that extra support so that they can be 50 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 3: like a stick to purpose and enter into the civilian workforce. 51 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: Well, and it's something that's really high on the agenda 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: here in the Northern Territory at the moment, because the 53 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: territory government earlier this week released their first Northern Territory 54 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: Defense Veterans Strategy, and it does really look at trying 55 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: to integrate people will veterans into different roles. How the 56 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: Northern Territory government can sort of try to, I guess 57 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: to support them so that veterans do choose in all 58 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: then territory as their home. 59 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 2: So I think it's a really important discussion to have. 60 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: Why is it important to recognize businesses that then employ 61 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: those veterans. 62 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, great question. So I think it's really important 63 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 3: to recognize businesses that employ veterans because it shows that 64 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 3: investing in a veteran based workforce is not only good 65 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 3: for community, good for giving back to I guess the 66 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 3: men and women who have served and sacrifice for our country, 67 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 3: but it actually just makes really good business sense and 68 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 3: from it will improve a business's bottom line, will improve 69 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 3: their morale, it'll improve their values and culture, and I 70 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 3: think overall we just the narrative sort of needs to 71 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 3: change from the broken veteran, although we do have veterans 72 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 3: that we do need to I guess care for and 73 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 3: look after their service, but I think the narrative needs 74 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 3: to change to the capable and competent veteran because there 75 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 3: is a whole range of men and women from the 76 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 3: Australian Defense Force that if they're given the opportunity, if 77 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 3: they're given the opportunity to sort of skill up and 78 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: be like retrained or created into a new employment pathway, 79 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 3: they will grab that with both hands and run with it. 80 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 3: And you know, we're living in an I guess an 81 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 3: economy we're candidate short where workforce short sort of economy. 82 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 3: So I think it's really about highlighting the for the 83 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 3: businesses that are thinking outside the box highlighting the benefits 84 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 3: that employing veterans brings. But also I think it's just 85 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: really important to recognize the veterans and the value that 86 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 3: they bring to the workforce because it just improves everything. 87 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: So last year, I believe it was, you won one 88 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: of the one of the private assays National Veteran Employment Awards. 89 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: Tell me a little bit about what you were recognized for. 90 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, so we for our work Path Australian program, 91 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 3: which is a veteran training, transition and employment program that 92 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: we offered the industry and government. We won the Excellence 93 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 3: in Supporting Veteran and or Partner Employment. So that was, like, 94 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 3: you know, it was first of all fantastic just to 95 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 3: be in the room with a whole range of other 96 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 3: veteran organizations and you know, organizations that are supportive of it. 97 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 3: For us, I guess it was nice to get the 98 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 3: government acknowledgment and the award for the program. I guess 99 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 3: it sort of allowed us to now start offering the 100 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 3: program more broadly to industry and to government areas like 101 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 3: ASD and Defact, so that they have the people they 102 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: need to grow and protect that country in advance interest. 103 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 3: And I guess the other really great thing about it, 104 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 3: and it really speaks to the collegial nature of the awards, 105 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 3: which was heavily supported by both sides of politics, with 106 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 3: strong minister and support. Mc gosling was up there, a 107 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 3: range of others were up there as well. But it 108 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 3: allowed us to start collaborating and networking with like amazing 109 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 3: organizations like the Bravery Trust, RSL Queensland you know who 110 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 3: we're in the same category with, and that's the resulted 111 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 3: in us having some now amazing news strategic partnerships with 112 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 3: them where we can collaboratively assist them and work with 113 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: the veteran community. So you know, I guess that speaks 114 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 3: to the nature of the night, you know, around celebrating 115 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 3: businesses that embrace veterans who share the same sort of values, 116 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: who can come together and build something new based around 117 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 3: that common goal, as well as celebrating the veteran community 118 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 3: and veterans success. 119 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 2: Well there you go. 120 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: Congratulations to you, a big congratulations on the work that 121 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: you do. 122 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: How can people nominate? 123 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: I know that the nominations for this year's Veterans Employment 124 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: Awards are now open, So where can people go to 125 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: nominate a business. 126 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, great question. So there's eight award category that's really 127 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 3: easy for people to nominate. They just have to head 128 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 3: to Veterans Employment dot gov dot au and search for awards. 129 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 3: So just Veterans Employment dot gov dot au, search for 130 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 3: awards and they'll have no problem in finding that, Katie. 131 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 3: And it'd be great to see a whole range of 132 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: new businesses and a whole range of other successful stories 133 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 3: there and celebrate that altogether. 134 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 2: Oh, good on you. 135 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, David for your time this morning. I 136 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: really appreciate you having a chat with us. 137 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 3: Likewise, Thanks Katie, thanks for the support. 138 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: Thank you.