ADF careers team has sights on Wangaratta enlistees

Recruitment was the mission for Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in Wangaratta last week with a bright orange information bus stopping at Apex Park. The assignment for expert members was to greet and inform anyone who wished to obtain more information about a career in the ADF. Rob Aitken from ADF Careers Albury is a veteran of 42 years after beginning in the artillery and he has also jumped out of an aircraft 3500 times as a parachute jump instructor. The mobile bus enables members of the community to ask questions and even start the ball rolling with an application to the ADF onboard the bus. Once you've lodged your application, the ADF sends you a link to complete an aptitude or psychometric test, which Mr Aitken said most government departments use now. "Some people are more spatial, mechanical and the questions are geared and designed so they can work that sort of stuff out as well," he said. "The applicant will then be sent a job opportunity report, and from the psychometric test, that lists all the jobs from all three services that we think you might have the compatibility with." From this starting point, a career counsellor sets a time to have an initial interview or just a chat to get to know the applicant, talking about likes, dislikes and hobbies, understanding who the applicant is as a person. The career counsellor will then guide the applicant to the right service and job. After this, there is an assessment day where applicants undergo a medical and partake in a series of interviews. "It's the greatest job in the world, I've been it it 42 years, but it's a very difficult job and there are very trying times," Mr Aitken said. "You'll always be pushed to your limits, physically, emotionally and throughout your career you can find yourself in some difficult situations. "We have to make sure that you're that type of person who has a particular resilience, and a really good understanding of self." People might have heard stories or seen imagery about intense training for recruits and have thought twice about joining. Mr Aitken explained that there is a pre-enlistment fitness assessment to make sure you're at a base level of fitness before they advance people to training. "We don't want to break people because that's no good for anyone," he said. "Depending on their service and job, this correlates into what members' fitness requirements are. "If you're infantry, you're going to spend your time walking and weight bearing webbing, rifle, backpack, and boots." But it's not all about the physical and it would be difficult to find another vocation where you are given the opportunities to advance academically as much as through the ADF. Mr Aitken himself completed his year 12 qualification through the ADF, and tertiary studies in multiple courses are available that advance skills during service, with qualifications people can use after they leave the service. "Whether it's individually or within that in-team environment, there's always massive encouragement from your team and you're always being dragged along," he said. "You do get a real sense of accomplishment achieved out of that." People can enlist in the ADF from as young as 17 years old (with parental consent) and no one will be deployed until they're at least 18 years old. There is an initial minimum period of service and this depends on the job. For example if the ADF puts you through a university degree, they want that time back in service. People can enlist as long as they can meet the minimum period of service before retirement age of 60 (for reservists it's 65). "We have a lot of people enlist as part of a mid-life career change and I had a guy the other day who has driven trucks all his life and he wondered if he would be suitable and I told him the role of a combat engineer would suit him well," Mr Aitken said. "He's fit, goes to the gym and runs everyday, so absolutely." Mr Aitken said a lot of people have wanted to join for many years and they agonise over whether they should or shouldn't apply. "If you think this might be something for you, start the application and you can withdraw at any time during the process," he advised. For more information visit adfcareers.gov.au

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