The veteran community: Part of the fabric at Raytheon Australia

Transitioning from the ADF to civilian life can be challenging, but Raytheon Australia’s approach makes a difference. Veterans joining the team encounter comprehensive onboarding, mentorship and ongoing support to help them feel integrated into their new careers.

Currently, over one-third of Raytheon Australia’s workforce consists of former ADF members, leveraging their values, expertise and experience to build and maintain trusted partnerships with the ADF. Veterans understand Defence and the complex solutions required to address challenging problems.  

Valuable skill sets for business

Peter Daniel, Raytheon Australia Chief of People and Culture and an Australian Army veteran, ensures service personnel interested in joining the business receive dedicated support from experienced recruitment managers. They work collaboratively to apply their defence skills and experience within the organisation. 

“Our recruitment and human resources team possess a deep understanding of ADF skill sets and their relevance in the civilian workforce, our veterans work across all disciplines, lead our businesses, engineer our products and manage our supply chain,” said Daniel.   

“We also know that veterans, and their families, have made profound sacrifices along the way in serving our nation, so we’re here to ensure the transition to the next stage of their career is supported.”

Careers after service

The Australian Army taught Raytheon Australia Project Officer, Tarah Bradley, the importance of supportive teams. She appreciates the variety of projects and career development options available at he company. 

“The wide range of training options and pathways available have allowed me to feel confident I can still have a career post-service, and one where I can grow and know I am supported,” said Bradley. 

“I can fast track my growth through my previous participation in the PM Academy, it was a great option to develop my skills further. The company also has many projects in aviation and defence communications, so if I ever want to switch things up, it’s easy to explore new opportunities and areas to work.”

In-house experts for defence industry

Raytheon Australia Capability Integration Manager, Bobbie Sheridan, joined the Royal Australian Air Force at the age of 18 and served for 12 years before transitioning to Raytheon Australia. 

Reflecting on her career journey, Sheridan found strength within herself during her time in the ADF, enabling her to confidently enter a defence industry career.

“The transition was both rewarding and challenging… I understood the customer and much of the military context, but I had to build my business acumen within the defence industry,” said Sheridan.

“Raytheon Australia values and recognises the knowledge veterans have, often serving as in-house experts when communicating with the customer, there is a genuine interest in hearing what we have to say…my Air Force experience helped me excel in my role, it has provided me the skills needed to be flexible, resourceful and take accountability for my duties.”

Raytheon Australia has tailored employment policies to support veteran employment, with flexibility as a key aspect of the business approach, options like Reservist leave and remote work are available for veterans wishing to continue their service.

“Building this culture allows veterans to remain connected to their Defence roots whilst still being backed by a network of colleagues who share similar experiences,” said Daniel.

“We believe that we have an important responsibility to give back to the broader defence community in which we operate, as an organisation committed to delivering for all of those who defend all of us, we're proud to support our veteran employees that form much of our team.”

For more on Raytheon Australia’s commitment to supporting the veteran community, visit www.raytheonaustralia.com.au.