This Remembrance Day, we honour the service and sacrifice of all Australians who have served our nation, and recognise the leadership, resilience and expertise veterans continue to bring to our communities and workplaces.

From Army to ACCIONA

One of those veterans is ACCIONA Senior Communications Advisor Matthew Muru. When one of our talent specialists came across Matt through a veteran employment program, she saw an opportunity to bring his expertise as a communicator to the community engagement side of the business, demonstrating the value of recognising transferable skills and supporting veterans to build rewarding careers beyond military service.

Matt joined the Australian Army at 19, straight out of high school, having completed his VCE. After seven years serving as an Infantryman, he was medically discharged in 2013 due to service-related injuries.

Following his discharge, Matt found adjusting to civilian life quite challenging. “Because I joined the Army virtually out of high school, I learned to be an adult in the Army, so I didn't know what normal adult life was,” he explained.

Matt thought it was perfectly reasonable to work long hours, so when he first left the Army, he managed a bathroom and kitchen showroom by day while working as a security guard at night along Melbourne’s notorious King Street.

After moving from security work to venue management, he took the huge step of working towards opening his own venue in Melbourne. The concept was an eatery during the day that transformed into a nightclub in the evenings. The timing of this move was to prove disastrous with COVID-19 lockdowns decimating the hospitality industry. While the experience was difficult, it strengthened Matt’s resilience and business acumen.

Finding a new career path

As Victoria emerged from lockdown, Matt connected with the veteran employment program Helping Heroes. ACCIONA is committed to assisting priority job seekers such as veterans find employment so when Senior Talent Specialist Michelle Ackland met Matt through the program, she really took the time to understand his experience and identify where his skills could create the most value.

Although Matt was initially considering a pathway into safety, Michelle recognised his ability to communicate, manage conflict, and understand people, pointed towards a career in communications and stakeholder engagement.

One of Matt’s greatest strengths is his ability to deal with difficult people, which he attributes to his time in the Army. “If you’re used to getting yelled at, and working through that, dealing with people who are just plain difficult is not that bad,” he attests. His Army experience taught him to remain calm under pressure, assess challenging situations, and work constructively with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Communications on major rail projects

Since joining ACCIONA, Matt has applied these skills across major rail infrastructure projects in Victoria and progressed to the position of Senior Communications Advisor.

Matt’s role involves much more than communicating construction activities. He works closely with all stakeholders to understand potential impacts, identify risks, and explain complex technical information clearly to impacted businesses and residents.

“Every day I'm learning something dramatically different… I get to understand what a lot of the engineers do… the amazing things they do, that they don't even realise are amazing.”

By working closely with various teams, Matt develops a detailed understanding of the works before communicating it externally. This allows him to anticipate community questions, provide confident and accurate advice, and help project teams consider stakeholder impacts as part of their planning.

“Spending time with the engineers and understanding what they’re trying to do helps me communicate the work clearly. It makes a real difference when you can explain something to a community member confidently and help them understand both the impacts and the broader purpose,” he added.

Camaraderie and support

For Matt, ACCIONA has also provided something he had not experienced since leaving the Army – a genuine sense of camaraderie.

“There’s a lot of people here who actually enjoy working with each other, which is a testament to the company environment… which I didn’t really have in the other workplaces,” he said.

In addition to the work, which he loves, Matt values the ongoing support he has received while adjusting to civilian life.

“It's a great crew, a great culture and a really good environment. I've always felt supported. I had back surgery a couple of years ago for an injury I sustained in the Army. The team set up a standing desk and screens for me so I could continue working safely,” he explained.

ACCIONA recognises the significance of Matt’s Army career, and how important it is that he stays in touch with the veteran community. One of the ways it does that is to organise for him to attend charity events held in Canberra by veteran support group Soldier On.

Recognising transferable skills

By recognising the transferability of skills, supporting his transition to the construction industry and helping him maintain his connection with the veteran community. ACCIONA has offered Matt a new career direction.

In return, the company has been rewarded with a committed and capable communications professional who continues to work hard to deliver projects that are changing the lives of the communities in which it operates.