After a seven-year year career in the Australian Army, Ryan Vonhoff found himself in various short-term jobs, without a clear path forward.

A chance referral from Hawthorn RSL saw Ryan get involved with Veterans in Construction, a social enterprise helping veterans of the Australian armed forces embark on new careers in the construction sector.

Ryan was one of 10 veterans who worked on the Western Plains project.

The project’s partnership with Veterans in Construction was part of its $16.3 million commitment to fund social enterprises and support Indigenous and local businesses, Victorians with disability and disadvantaged Victorians.

After six months as a labourer on the project, Ryan was promoted to lead a team of workers at Western Plains.

Ryan says the training he and his fellow veterans received during their time in the armed forces has been valuable when applied to their roles at Western Plains.

"In my team we had a wide range of skills, including a navy diver who used to weld underwater, an engineer working with landmines, and an engineer who can build car engines."

The veterans at Western Plains used their skills in a variety of roles on site, including as labourers and storemen, with 60% hailing from the local Geelong area.

Former SAS veteran and founder of Veterans in Construction, Dave Farrell, says one of his motivations for starting the organisation was to help veterans use skills developed in the military to successfully transition into civilian life.

"Veterans are used to working in disciplined teams, breaking tasks down and adapting accordingly and we have been able to provide multiple veterans stable and meaningful employment at Western Plains."

Construction of Western Plains took place between early 2020 and end-2022, and was managed by the Community Safety Building Authority on behalf of the Department of Justice and Community Safety.