Joe served in the Navy as an Engineering Technician onboard Collins Class Submarines for nine years, based primarily in the West at HMAS Stirling. His time in the service taught him camaraderie and he became highly skilled in an elite unit within the Australian Defence Force.
For Joe, being interstate for long periods without contact with his young family, made maintaining work/life balance particularly hard and ultimately led to his decision to transition out of the ADF. Finding an employer with a veteran recruitment strategy made all the difference. Since leaving the ADF, Joe has worked with Coleman Rail and in 2022 he moved to North East Link.
Reducing the sense of isolation that veterans feel by promoting an increase in connectivity within the veteran community in Melbourne, is a matter close to Joe’s heart. He acknowledges that one of the keys to a successful transition is finding sustainable employment with employers who able to fully embrace the unique skills and attributes that veterans bring to civilian organisations. Joe passionately advocates for veterans having success during and after transition, through championing employers veteran recruitment strategies.
Joe is a strong advocate that veterans are worth hiring for their resilience, attitude and the plethora of other transferable skills that come with hiring someone from the military.
Getting veterans into jobs and creating a community for support and connection is the ultimate dream.