Pioneering pathways to civilian success through skills recognition

The move from military service to civilian life is a significant event and a time when veterans might pursue higher education to support their career opportunities. 

ADF members gain highly transferable skills during their service. These include strong leadership, teamwork, technical proficiency and problem-solving abilities. However, higher education providers do not always readily recognise these skills. 

To counter this, the Australian Government’s Veteran Employment Program (VEP) promotes the value of veteran skills and experiences through initiatives such as the Veteran Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – Tertiary Support Grant Program. 

The RPL Grant Program is providing $1.65 million over three rounds to support Australian higher education facilities, including universities, in adapting tertiary credit-mapping frameworks and creating entry pathways for veterans. The funding aims to increase opportunities for veterans to have their ADF skills and experience formally assessed and credited towards civilian qualifications, thereby supporting their job opportunities in the civilian workforce. 

As part of round 1, higher education facility recipients have used the RPL grants in several ways. For example: 

• the University of NSW developed a dedicated veteran portal, offering coaching and enhanced RPL processes (www.unsw.edu.au/veterans)
• the Australian Catholic University created a comprehensive online guide and website for RPL in tertiary institutions (www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/veterans/student-veteran-services)
• Flinders University, partnering with the University of the Sunshine Coast, mapped ADF skills to university courses, creating pathways for advanced standing
• the University of Canberra implemented a “virtual front door” website for veteran support, automatic credit for selected courses, and a registration process for veteran-specific benefits. Visit: www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/get-into-uc/admissions-programs/vtsp/support

These activities are empowering veterans’ futures. They support higher education and training for veterans seeking roles in the civilian workforce by allowing them to gain formal qualifications and be more competitive in the labour market. 

Round 3 of the RPL Grant Program is expected to open later in 2025. For more information on the Program and other grant programs, or to receive notifications of future grant opportunities, visit the GrantConnect home page: www.grants.gov.au. For more information on the Veteran Employment Program, visit www.veteransemployment.gov.au.