Celebrating 20 years

The Salvation Army Employment Plus is marking 20 years of helping Australian business find the right employee. Employment Plus has a rich history in employment services, having started Australia’s first ‘labour bureau’ in 1889 – one of the first in the world.

We started with 61 sites nationally under a single contract between The Salvation Army and Department of Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs. The original site listing includes some vanguard performers still delivering great outcomes today: Ringwood, the Hunter Region of NSW, Ipswich, Rowville, Maitland, Nelson Bay, Newcastle, Gosford, Wyong and others.

Some staff members have been with Employment Plus since the very beginning. Team Leader Accounts Payable, Patricia Bonney says, “There are so many who need assistance, help, kindness, compassion, understanding and someone to believe in them and give them the push to secure employment – this is what Employment Plus does.”

Long time staff member and Application Development Manager, Greg Heenan says it best – when asked what has changed the most since he started working here. “Everything. Things change all the time and you need to embrace it.”

National Office marked the occasion with a visit from special guests Commissioners Floyd and Tracey Tidd, Commissioners Brian and Carolyn Morgan and Chairman Lindsay Smartt.