More than 1,200 veterans have found jobs in the NSW public sector since 2018 under the state government’s veterans employment program.

The communication and education platform was developed by the NSW Office for Veterans Affairs to help managers and veterans understand how defence force skills and experience can align with roles within the government.

It’s designed to help veterans transition into employment in the government sector via workshops that provide information about applying for government roles and advice on tailoring a resume to make it applicable to government positions.

It also offers tools to assist veterans with their public sector job search and provides eligible veterans with financial assistance for vocational study, as well as sharing job opportunities to help hiring managers attract high-quality candidates.

Minister for Veterans David Elliott says the program has already exceeded its target of finding 1,000 veterans public sector jobs by 2023.

“This program is instrumental in helping our veterans enjoy a smoother transition from military service to civilian life, and means we retain the skills, knowledge and experience of our outstanding former service personnel,” he said in a statement.

The VEP, which last year won a Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Award, was established in 2016, becoming the first program of its kind in Australia.

It was set up with the initial goal of helping 200 veterans find public sector employment over two years but that target was exceeded fourfold, with more than 800 finding work or a new role.

The program was extended for another five years in 2018.

About 1,200 ADF personnel leave service and settle into civilian life in NSW each year, offering government agencies a large and experienced recruitment pool.