Awards and recognition

The Awards are very well received in the business community and the public sector. While the award program does not provide any direct financial or commercial gain to employers, it does offer the chance to give employers the formal public recognition they deserve.

The Employer Support Awards are held in each state and territory and feed into the annual National Employer Support Awards each year. The categories are small, medium and large private sector, public sector, Defence public sector, and not-for-profit.

The Awards will be announced across the country in the following regions:

• Australian Capital Territory and region
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory and Kimberley region
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

Employer Support Award Nominations are Closed

Nominations for the Employer Support Awards are now closed.

The Process

Nominations: Annually, reservists are invited to nominate their civilian employer for an Employer Support Award. The nomination consists of answering two questions, in which the reservist should endeavour to provide as many relevant examples of support from their civilian employer over the last 12 months. 

Once the nomination has been submitted, the civilian employer nominee will receive an email from the ADFRES web form, inviting them to further support the nomination with an opportunity for them to share why supporting their reservist employee is important to the organisation. This is not compulsory, however will be shared with the panel during the selection panel.

Selection: Nominations from each region are considered by the region’s selection panel to determine the winners of each of the six categories below:

• Small Private (0 to 19 employees)
• Medium Private (20 to 199 employees)
• Large Private (200+ employees)
• Not-For-Profit
• Public Sector
• Public Sector Defence

Each regional selection panel is chaired by the Assistant Director, ADFRES Regional Engagement and is made up of regional representatives from Navy, Army, Air Force and an independent industry/business representative.

Each panel member is provided a nomination pack in order to independently score and provide commentary on each individual nomination for that region. 

If there is only a single nomination in any one category, the panel will not afford it any less scrutiny, simply because it is the sole nomination. A scoring matrix is used to gauge the strength of all the nominations. The panel will also assess the quality of the nomination on its merits, regardless of how many nominations there are within a category. If the nomination is not meritorious, it will not be awarded a win. 

The awards ceremony: Every year in each region, certificates and awards are presented to employers at a formal awards ceremony. The employer nominee and nominating reservist are invited to attend this ceremony; attendance is invite only. Each category winner and any applicable honourable mentions are presented on the night by the Head of Joint Support Services Division. 

National Employer Support Awards: Each regional category winner is placed in to the national pool for consideration for a National Employer Support Award. The National Employer Support Awards are determined by a national selection panel and follows the same process as the regional selection panels. The difference being that the national selection panel is chaired by the Director ADFRES with Canberra-based representatives.

The National Employer Support Awards are strictly invite only and attended by Ministers and senior Defence officials, demonstrating the importance placed on these Awards.

For further information on the Employer Support Awards please contact our Regional Engagement team at 1800 DEFENCE or via the contact us page.

If your organisation also supports veteran employees, their partners or you’re a current serving member, consider nominating your workplace for the Prime Minister’s Veterans Employment Awards. To find out more and nominate, visit the Veterans Employment website.

The scheme seeks to reward SERCAT 3 to 5 personnel (active reservists) and their civilian employers for their dedication and commitment to ADF service. It provides an opportunity for reservists to undertake a training or development activity that is related to and directly benefits their civilian occupation or profession.

The experience and knowledge gained from a successful activity will provide ongoing benefits to the civilian employer and workplace. The scheme also promotes cooperation and support between Defence and civilian employers.

The activity undertaken is not prescriptive, and may comprise:

• a training course either held in Australia (physical or virtual attendance) or overseas (physical or virtual attendance)
• a conference, convention or symposium held in Australia (physical or virtual attendance) or overseas (physical or virtual attendance).

How do I apply?

Nominations are called for annually through internal communication channels, website publications and via our social media channels.

To be eligible for consideration, you must:

• be a member of the Reserve in Service Categories (SERCATs) 3 to 5 rendering Defence service (including training) and not currently undertaking Service Option C (SERVOP C)
• hold substantive rank of:
  • Navy - Able Seaman to Lieutenant Commander, including Chaplain Division 1 and 2, and Maritime Spiritual Wellbeing Officer Class 1 and 2
  • Army - Private Proficient to Major
  • Air Force - Leading Aircraftsmen/Aircraftswomen to Squadron Leader
• have rendered a minimum of 20 Reserve Service Days (including continuous fulltime service) per year in the three financial years immediately prior to their POWA application
• not currently undertaking or has not undertaken more than six months Service Option C (SERVOP C) in the 12 months prior to the POWA application closing date
• have maintained the same civilian employer for a minimum of six months prior to the POWA application closing date
• intend to remain a member of the Reserves throughout the POWA application period and the duration of their intended POWA activity
• not be subject to any disciplinary or adverse administrative action relating to their performance, conduct or behaviour.

POWA applicants must be in full-time or part-time civilian employment and receive the endorsement of their employer. Civilian employer comments on applicants work performance will contribute to the Selection Board’s consideration.

In the case of self-employed members, a professional organisation or trade association with whom they are affiliated is required to provide comment on the applicant’s proposal in place of their civilian employer. This commentary will contribute to the Selection Board’s consideration.

Applications for this award are developed in close cooperation and with the support and endorsement of the Reserve member’s civilian employer.

POWA applicants are responsible for developing their POWA activity proposals in consultation with their civilian employer, professional organisation or trade association, and submitting them in accordance with the DEFGRAM promulgated time frames.

Commanding Officers are responsible for reviewing and endorsing members’ POWA applications, including Service eligibility requirements via the online application form process.

Applicants that continue to have issues accessing the application form are encouraged to contact The ADF Reserves and Employer Support Team via adfres.hq@defence.gov.au

Reservists can access further information about the POWA through their unit chain-of-command, or by the contact us page.

The Tasman Scheme is a bilateral personnel activity between the ADF and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The Scheme seeks to reward selected ADF SERCAT 3-5 junior officers and ADF SERCAT 3-5 junior non-commissioned officers (JNCO) for their overall performance, dedication and commitment to Reserve service and to promote interoperability between the ADF and NZDF.

The Tasman Scheme allows selected ADF SERCAT 3-5 junior officers and JNCO to travel to New Zealand for up to a two-week secondment with the NZDF, preferably related to their military employment or profession.

Tasman Scheme nominations can only be submitted by Commanding Officers.

The nomination form is Defence Form AE350 – Tasman Scheme Nomination.

How do I apply? 

Applications are called for annually, through internal Defence communication channels. A competitive selection process is used to decide the winners of this award.

Commanding Officers can nominate their personnel for the Tasman Scheme if their personnel satisfy the following criteria:

• A serving member with at least three consecutive years of SERCAT 3-5 service including the period prior to nomination.
• Have completed at least 20 Reserve Service Days (RSD), in each of the three financial years leading up to the year of nomination.
• Meet individual readiness (IR) requirements in accordance with the relevant Services’ policies and member’s SERCAT.
• Single Service criteria (at the time of nomination):
  
  
  1. Royal Australian Navy (RAN). A SERCAT 3 or 5 member of the RAN who has held the substantive rank of Sub Lieutenant, Leading Seaman or Able Seaman for the 12 months prior to nomination.
  2. Australian Army. A SERCAT 5 member of the Australian Army who has held the substantive rank of Lieutenant, Corporal, Lance Corporal or Private (P), for the 12 months prior to nomination.
  3. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). A SERCAT 3, 4 or 5 member of the RAAF who has held the substantive rank of Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, Corporal, Leading Aircraftman or Leading Aircraftwoman for the 12 months prior to nomination.
• Not subject to any disciplinary action under the Defence Force Discipline Act (DFDA), or Civilian law.
• Not subject to any adverse administrative action.

Applications for the Tasman Scheme opened 1 September

Submit your application for the Tasman Scheme

Reservists can access further information about the Tasman Scheme through their unit chain-of-command, or by contacting the ADF Reserves and Employer Support International Engagement and Policy team on 1800 DEFENCE or via the contact us page.