Veterans have their own unique set of circumstances and needs that not all employers understand, so finding that employer in the defence industry that understands veterans and supports them in their transition is important.

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Embracing the value of veterans in the workplace

DEWC Services, a veteran-owned South Australian-based professional consultancy company, is harnessing the unique talent and skills of experienced Defence veterans and distilling their knowledge to the next generation of workers.

Embracing the value of veterans in the workforce and the diversity of skills and perspectives they offer, DEWC Services is a leading employer of veterans in the state’s defence industry, with over 29 per cent of its workforce having served, or currently serving, in the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

The company, which has been developing game-changing Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare (C4ISREW) solutions for the Department of Defence for more than a decade, is passionate about supporting ex-service men and women in their transition to civilian work.

DEWC Services CEO Allan Dundas, who served in the Royal Australian Air Force for nine years before transitioning to a career in defence industry, said veterans provide a wealth of experience and knowledge, as well as a deeply ingrained commitment to serving our nation, making them a key asset to the company.

“Veterans have a deep-seated sense of purpose to help strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence interests and protect our servicemen and women so they return home safely. This shared passion and purpose aligns with DEWC’s own founding principles as a community of C4ISREW specialists, driven by the desire to deliver the best possible capability for Defence,” Mr Dundas said.

“We support Defence through the work we do, but we also provide an ongoing career option for people who have moved on. Supporting veterans with their future careers is a big part of our culture. We are passionate about seeing them continue to serve our nation and Defence, but in a different context.

“Veterans have their own unique set of circumstances and needs that not all employers understand, so finding that employer in the defence industry that understands veterans and supports them in their transition is important.

“We understand veterans and what their needs are so when they come and work for DEWC Services we can support them in their transition.”

Allan Dundas with some of the graduates at Defence Science & Technology Group

DEWC Services are a member of the ADF Reserves and Employer Support Program and also have policies in place to support veterans who wish to do reserve work. Committed to leveraging the expertise of experienced veterans in its workforce to help build the next generation of EW specialists, DEWC Services fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and provides opportunities for veteran engineers to pass on their specialist knowledge to the company’s graduates and younger employees.

“We’re not only preserving and enhancing our experience base by passing on that knowledge to our younger talent, but we are helping to bolster South Australia’s future defence industry workforce by training the next generation C4ISREW experts,” Mr Dundas said.

“We’re also instilling in our graduates a strong sense of purpose that what they’re doing is helping strengthen Australia’s sovereign defence interests and protecting our war fighters so they return home safely. This ignites their passion for what we do and motivates them to stay in the C4ISREW workforce, which helps build capacity as we scale up to meet Defence needs.”

DEWC Services’ Graduate Development Program is helping to cultivate some of the brightest minds and build the future defence industry talent pool. Through on-the-job training and mentorship with some of the nation’s most experienced veterans, the program supports the transfer of technical knowledge and enables veterans to impress upon graduates the importance of serving Australia.

A proud employer of veterans and ex-Defence civilians, DEWC Services is passionate about supporting the success of Defence personnel and growing its community of professionals to help protect Australia and its national interests.

Learn more about DEWC Services and opportunities for veterans.

With thanks to DEWC Services for this success story.