The Veteran Employment Program (VEP) promotes the skills veterans bring to the civilian workforce, helps employers to better support veterans in the workplace to bring out their best and opens pathways to new careers and further education through expanded recognition of prior learning.

The VEP delivers three grants designed to support veterans to move into employment or university education:

  1. Recruitment Advisory Service for Employers of Veterans Grant Program
    A grant program to better support employers to target and recruit veterans, and support and retain them in their workplaces.
     
  2. Veteran Recognition of Prior Learning – Tertiary Support Grant Program
    This program offers financial assistance to tertiary education facilities to recognise the skills and experience that veterans gain during their ADF service and create pathways that support veterans to undertake university study.
  3.   Supporting Veteran Owned Business Grant Program
    This three-year grant program provides funding to deliver self-employment support to veterans and families. The program complements the Self-Employment Assistance program delivered through Workforce Australia. 

The Recruitment Advisory Service for Employers of Veterans Grant Program

The Recruitment Advisory Service for Employers of Veterans Grant Program supports employers to better target and recruit veterans, and support and retain them in their workplaces.

This program provides a single grant of up to $800,000 over three years. This funding enables the grant recipient, working with the VEP, to provide advice, support the development of veteran inclusive or targeted policies and procedures for workplaces, and create a range of products to enhance veteran recruitment and retention. This will provide better support for employers who wish to create veteran-inclusive workplaces where veterans can perform at their best.

Recipient of the Recruitment Advisory Service Grant Program:

Organisation name Project description Funding
Australian Catholic University ACU will work collaboratively with employers, veteran groups, and HR specialists to define best policy and practice in the recruitment, retention, and support of veteran and Defence partners in the Australian workplace. $800,000

The Veteran Recognition of Prior Learning – Tertiary Support Grant Program

The RPL Grant Program offers support to invited Australian tertiary education facilities to recognise the skills and experience veterans gain from their military service, and to support veterans to undertake tertiary education. 

This assistance supports tertiary education facilities to adapt and apply existing credit‑mapping frameworks (including micro-credentialling), and establish or adapt direct or assisted entry, or recognition of prior learning pathways.

Under the RPL Grant Program, the Australian Government is providing a total of $1.65 million to Australian tertiary education facilities, offered over three grant rounds.  

Grant recipients under round 1 of the RPL Grant Program:

Organisation name Project name Funding

Flinders University

(in consortium with University of the Sunshine Coast)

 Mapping Roles and Jobs – Recognising the skillsets of veterans to support more effective movement to employment $150,000
Australian Catholic University Making All Learning Count – Building Higher Education Microcredentialing Framework for ADF Courses $145,000
University of Canberra Connected-University of Canberra Veterans Tertiary Support Program $147,000
University of NSW Veteran Pathways into Professional Education (VPIPE) Scheme $150,000
Charles Darwin University CDU Veteran Recognition of Prior Learning Program $100,000


Grant recipients under round 2 of the RPL Grant Program:

Organisation name Project name Funding
University of Newcastle Veteran Entry Pathway and Veteran Student Support Program $110,323.55
Flinders University Transition to Teacher Package for Veterans – Accelerated Pathway and Supports Available $120,588.89
University of South Australia Experience Matters - Recognising the prior learning skills and experience of Australian Defence Force personnel $120,588.89
Charles Sturt University Charles Sturt University Veteran Pathway and Support Program $107,320.89
Queensland University of Technology Veterans Academic Success Program QUT ADF-RPL Framework and Support Program $120,588.89
Western Sydney University Western Sydney University Student Veterans Program and Credit Mapping Pathway $120,588.89

Media release for grant recipients under round 1 of the RPL Grant Program: minister.dva.gov.au/news-and-media/minister/supporting-veterans-tertiary-education-and-employment-0

Media release for grant recipients under round 2 of the RPL Grant Program: https://minister.dva.gov.au/news-and-media/minister/accessing-higher-education-made-easier-veterans

Supporting Veteran Owned Business Grant Program

This grant program was extended a further three years in Budget 2024-25.   The grant provides funding to King’s Trust Australia to provide support to Defence members and ADF families through its Enterprise Programme to start and grow small businesses.

  1. The grant provides for specifically designed support to veterans and families who are considering opening, or want to increase the competitiveness of, their own business. The grant program offers:
  • workshops to explore self-employment, build confidence and capability, and help make decision-making more informed 
  • activities to provide intensive and accelerated training for participants who are starting, or have started, a small business
  • activities to increase the competitiveness of veteran and veteran family small businesses, including collaboration with Australian companies, and education in improving financial capability and developing competitive tenders.
     
     
Organisation name Project name Funding
King’s Trust Australia Enterprise programme – self-employment support $300,000

 

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