Tuesday, 28th October, 2025
Media Release
Link to original media release from The Hon Matt Keogh MP: Finalists announced for PM’s Veteran Employment Awards

A career in Defence builds lifelong skills and experience that can be transferred to the civilian workforce when then time comes to transition out of the ADF.

Technical skills combined with a capacity for teamwork, adaptability and working under pressure can help businesses thrive and veterans find meaningful post-transition employment.

Celebrating exemplary examples of collaboration between business and the veteran community is an important way we can build awareness of the options for transitioning ADF personnel.

Today the Albanese government is proud to announce finalists for the 2025 Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards.

The annual Awards recognise champions of veteran and partner employment while celebrating the accomplishments of veteran and partner employees and entrepreneurs.

In keeping with the 2025 Awards theme, ‘Celebrating our growing community’, three new Award categories have been introduced this year:

• Best Regional Veteran Employment Initiative
• Best Veteran Employment Commitment Initiative
• Champion of Veteran Employment.

I encourage organisations to join the Veteran Employment Commitment, which recognises organisations supporting veteran employment. Veterans and partners looking for employment can use this tool to search for employers.

The 2025 winners will be announced in November during a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.

Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists (listed below), for leading the way in veteran and partner employment and uplifting veteran communities across Australia.

Veteran Employee of the Year

Kurt Brissett, Built
Taylor Cowell, Saab Australia
Darren Nolan, Ventia

Partner Employee of the Year

Belynda Jane Abbott, University of Canberra
Shannon Hennessy, VESPIIA
Savannaha Wells, RSL LifeCare

Veteran and/or Partner Entrepreneur of the Year

Christine Gilchrist, Spouse Force
Daniel Stevens, Seitec
Emily Pyke, UndaTech

Small Employer of the Year

Defendable Technologies
Human Quotient Group
Axon Property Group

Medium Employer of the Year

EON Protection
Military & Emergency Services Health Australia
Veterans in Construction

Large Employer of the Year

NSW Government Veterans Employment Program
Ventia
Wilson Security

Best Regional Veteran Employment Initiative

INLOC Group
Macksville Hospital
Ventia

Best Veteran Employment Commitment Initiative

Australian War Memorial
Human Quotient Group
NSW Government Veterans Employment Program

Champion of Veteran Employment

Empirical Solutions
Kelly Hopkins, Hays
RSL Queensland 
WithYouWithMe

For more information about the Awards, please visit the Veteran Employment Program website https://www.veteransemployment.gov.au/awards