The Veterans SA Career and Business Mentoring Program connects members of the veteran community to leaders and professionals across the South Australian business community.

Applications for the 2024 program have now closed.

Through the program, mentee participants are partnered with experienced South Australian business leaders who provide guidance and support as mentors to help them achieve success in their professional lives.

Based on feedback from past participants, the program has been enhanced in 2024 to incorporate monthly online workshops featuring expert guest speakers and program alumni covering topics including changing mindset, career transition, finding purpose, skills translation, job seeking tips, business support tips and networking.

Participants in previous years have experienced many positive outcomes including:

  • gaining meaningful employment
  • scholarship and grant successes
  • development of successful business plans
  • expansion of professional networks
  • increased confidence and improved understanding of self-worth.

The 2024 program commences in April and concludes in November.

The program is facilitated by South Australian-based Strategy and Business Coach, Christine Molitor from Be Sustained.

How to Apply

Applications will open soon for the 2025 Career & Business Mentoring Program.

Key Dates

The 2025 Program will commence in April 2025 and conclude in November 2025.

More details about the induction, launch and closing events will be published soon.

Program streams

Two separate programs with different objectives and outcomes are being offered. Applicants for both mentee and mentor positions must select the stream they wish to participate in when submitting their application.

Career and Skills Development

Participants will have the opportunity to work with their mentor to set career and professional goals, whilst developing networking skills, their professional profile, interview techniques, presentation skills and more. The opportunity to expand their professional network and investigate career prospects through networking activities will also be provided.

Business and Entrepreneurship

Participants will determine their place in their entrepreneurship journey alongside their mentor, who will be able to provide advice and feedback on business models and plans, financing options, growing an existing business and more. This stream is suitable for anyone who is considering starting a business through to someone who has started their own business but wants to take it to the next level.

Eligibility criteria

To apply as a mentee, participants must be a:

  • ADF member, currently transitioning
  • former ADF member
  • reservist
  • partner of current or former ADF member.

Applications to be a mentor are invited from anyone across the South Australian business community who is keen to share their knowledge and expertise to support participants to unlock their full potential.

All mentor/mentee participants must be located in South Australia.

Hear from some of our past participants

Dave & Matt

Liz & Sharon

2024 program review

The 2024 program will officially start on 11 April 2024 at an induction workshop. This workshop is an opportunity for mentees and mentors to meet in person for the first time and start to discuss and set goals for the program.

Mentors and mentees are then expected to meet monthly, by the most suitable means available to them, such as face to face, online or via phone.

Monthly online workshops will also be held for participants covering the following topics:

  • 9 May 2024 – Transition from a career perspective
  • 13 June 2024 – Finding purpose
  • 11 July 2024 – Skills translation
  • 8 August 2024 – Job seeking skills and tips
  • 5 September 2024 – Support to build your business
  • 17 October 2024 – Networking and building connections

The program facilitator will check in with pairs throughout the program.

Participants must also participate in an evaluation process throughout and at the end of the program. This process will gather insights into participant’s experiences and lessons learned to inform improvements of future programs.

More information

Read the Veterans SA Career & Business Mentoring Program FAQS below.

Learn more about the 2021 pilot program.

Learn more about the 2023 program.

Please send queries to VeteransSA@sa.gov.au

Frequently Asked Questions

Two different mentoring program streams are offered to participants in 2024.

Career and Skills Development
Participants will have the opportunity to work with their mentor to set career and professional goals, whilst developing networking skills, their professional profile, interview techniques, presentation skills and more. The opportunity to expand their professional network and investigate career prospects through networking activities will also be provided.

Business and Entrepreneurship
Participants will determine their place in their entrepreneurship journey alongside their mentor, who will be able to provide guidance and feedback on business models and plans, financing options, growing an existing business and more. This stream is suitable for anyone who is considering starting a business through to someone who has started their own business and wants to take it to the next level.

The two programs have different objectives and intended outcomes and are in response to identified needs in the community – to support those who have served or currently serving and are looking to transition. It is intended for those who are based in South Australia. It is open to partners of serving or previously served Veterans.

Mentee participants can only register for one of the program streams.

If you are a Mentee, please think about your primary goal for the program, and register for the stream that best aligns with your objectives. The details you provide in your submission will help us to understand what your expectations are, and if we have any questions, we will get in touch.

If you are applying as a Mentor, , please think about what you most offer as a Mentor. Where do your strengths lie and which stream would you find most rewarding to – provide mentor support in – careers and skills or business and entrepreneurship? If you strongly feel you could cover both programs, then we encourage you to fill out both applications. We cannot guarantee a sufficient pool of Mentees, but we will note your offer to mentor on either program. If we have any questions, we will get in touch.

Mentoring is a relationship-driven process that involves sharing knowledge and skills to guide, to enquire and to inspire the development of another person.

That development may be specific, such as helping to support and build certain skills (i.e., communication skills or presentation confidence), or it may be to enhance the ability to manage an emerging situation (i.e., prepare for a business event or to lead a new initiative in the workplace).

Our experience is shaped by others in our lives. Having the opportunity to learn from others who have both ‘trodden the path’ before and who may also come from a background diverse to yours, in a relaxed and confidential setting is a true gift. As a mentee, it is hoped you will find that learning and growing, overcoming perceived barriers and developing your own capacity is a journey made somewhat easier, with another alongside you.

Mentoring can be immensely satisfying. Reflecting on and sharing your experience and knowledge to help another, seeing someone fulfill their potential, or overcome barriers can be incredibly rewarding. Mentors can also develop their own skills, such as their interpersonal and communication skills, as a result of being part of this experience.

The program will commence with a compulsory online induction and welcome session for mentors for both programs on 8 April 2024.

A face to face welcome and introduction session for all particpants on 17 April 2024. This will be the first opportunity for mentee/mentor partners to meet and network with other participants.

Mentors and Mentees will subsequently meet on average every month, by the most suitable means available to them, such as face to face, online or by phone. This arrangement will be self-managed by each pair.

There will also be an overall evaluation process that all participants must engage in. It will run throughout and at the conclusion of the programs and gather participant insights and help inform  the development of improvements to future programs. It is through these evaluations that we have been able to refine and adapt the program to what it is today –so you can be assured that feedback is valued and listened to.

In addition, a quick poll will be distributed following each online session to survey participants’ level of interest and satisfaction with the topic and speakers selected.

Participants must commit to attend the induction events (note, mentor induction is compulsory) and the closing events, and at least a few online sessions to enable sufficient numbers for participation and feedback. We understand that time is important, and we will endeavour to be as flexible as possible in how we offer these sessions.

In terms of mentee-mentor meetings, it is highly recommended that each pair meet monthly at a minimum. The suggested duration for each session is an hour to an hour and a half. Mentors and Mentees must manage the scheduling of their meetings themselves.

There is no limit to the number of places offered. However, there is an application process to assess eligibility and fit (suitability) for participation on the programs. In previous years we have had an excess of eligible Mentors initially, however generally many have been added into the program later on, for a variety of reasons. If you register as a Mentor and are not matched initially, you will be advised of that and encouraged to at least attend the induction session for mentors as there is a likelihood – based on past experience – of being brought into working with a mentee down the track.

There is no financial cost to being involved in the program as a mentee or mentor or participating in any of the online or face to face events. Mentors are generously donating their time to support their mentees to upskill and expand their experiences.

Our Mentors will come from a range of different industries and professional roles and will have varied life experiences. They will be located in both metro and regional South Australia and have different levels of management experience drawn from different disciplines.

Matching will be conducted by the program facilitator and the Director of Veterans SA.

The matching process will take into account the skills, experience and industry backgrounds of all applicants and attempt to match participants based not only on their application but the value of diverse experiences and backgrounds in the Mentor-Mentee relationship, as well as the aspirations of each applicant.

Of course, it is not always possible to get everything from the one mentor. The more information you can provide in your application, the more it will assist us in pairing you up with the most suitable partner.

Yes! The Alumni is still forming and taking shape, however following the success of the previous programs we now have a fantastic cohort of past participants interested in keeping in touch. To help keep everyone connected, Veterans SA has established a SA Career & Business Mentoring Program Alumni group on LinkedIn.

You will receive a link after the program starts to invite you to contribute to the Alumni forum as it is a great way to network with others and to broaden your own horizons. Alumni are also invited to the launch and closing events as well as the monthly online workshops.