ADF transition services rolled out nationwide
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Minister for Defence Personnel Dan Tehan said improved transition services for Australian Defence Force personnel have been rolled out across the country after successful pilot programs.
In March, Mr Tehan announced individual career coaching services would be trialed at Townsville, Holsworthy and Adelaide bases.
“ADF Transition Coaches are helping ADF personnel develop tailored career plans based on their unique skills, interests and career aspirations,” Mr Tehan said.
“This is making their transition from Defence to civilian life less stressful and helping them find meaningful employment.
“Since the new coaching model was launched, 1145 ADF members have commenced their transition with the support of an ADF Transition Coach.
“Early indicators show the new system is delivering results, with 67 per cent of personnel surveyed rating their transition a ‘success’.
“The government recognises the transition from the military to civilian life is a key phase for ADF personnel and we have targeted support and services at this period to reduce stress and increase opportunities.
“Members now receive an individual transition action plan so they can leave the military with all of their important documentation, such as their Service record, medical and dental records, pay and administrative details.
“The focus on improving opportunities for veterans to find meaningful employment complements the work being done through the Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Program.”
Mr Tehan said the model would also allow Defence to better identify those who require additional support, including providing appropriate links to community support, and referrals to health and wellbeing services.
The transition service provides ADF members with professional career coaching before leaving the military and up to 12 months after they leave.
The service will support around 6000 ADF members who transition each year through 13 ADF Transition Centres on or near all major bases across Australia.
For more information on the career coaching service, visit the Department of Defence website at www.defence.gov.au/dco/transition
Mr Tehan said ADF personnel had unique skills and experience that was in demand by employers.
He urged Australian businesses that were employing veterans to nominate for the first annual Veterans’ Employment Awards.
Nominations for the Veterans’ Employment Awards are open until 22 December 2017 and can be submitted at www.veteransemployment.gov.au
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Brian….A mate of mine referred this website to me today and I am pleased he did. He spoke to you just recently re one of of long serving Signals members (Fonzy …a Cpl of 4 decades in Signals) and an article his CO is putting together for publication….and a copy on its way to you. Ian (Gomer) Haycock is the bloke who spoke to you. My question is a little different however, and it relates to this great initiative by the DoD with their ‘Transitions Service’ for members and former member to civilian life, training etc. MY question is in regard to all of that….Is there then a ‘Placement Service’ for employment of these ex members who are finding it difficult to find jobs?. Is there such a register of potential employers looking for very skilled and intelligent enthusiastic employees?. There is a lot of training organisations out there, but at the end of the day….but there is no connect to Job/Work Labour Hire organisations….very little opportunity of suitable employment. I do know the Government is trying to encourage employers to get onboard and a least give our former Service Members a fair go. It is a tragic waste of such particular and special skills, either because potential employers are not aware….or they just do not have the opportunities to offer. With your extended network I am hoping you might have some information in this regard. Cheers…. Chris Brown, OAM retd.
Hi Chris. Thanks to Ian, you finally found me – after 14 years! Now I hope you will refer others to come here for a read too.
In reference to your own enquiry – here are my thoughts….
What the govt is doing (as per story above) looks like a good idea and I think, given continuing support and time to mature, it could prove itself very worthwhile. One thing I would say that I think reflects poorly on the govt/Defence’s commitment in this field, however, is their blanket ban on employment advertising in Defence newspapers, which has been in place for decades and, as far as I know, is still extant. Their logic is that if external employers can advertise internally, then highly trained service members might be poached. I say, if members are happy in their service they won’t be tempted to go anywhere (so it’s up to Defence to keep them happy) – until it’s time to go – and at that point, employment advertising in their own newspapers could give them a good head start and peace of mind before they pull that pin.
You also mention external employment and training services, of which there are many. I’ll mention two here, which I am acutely aware of because one advertises with us and the other advertised in the recent past.
First is WithYouWithMe (https://www.withyouwithme.com.au), which not only offers (free) training and mentoring to ex ADF and those who are thinking about getting out, but also invites industry people onboard as mentors. They also run (free for job seekers) Veteran Career Expos, of which Sydney was the first, two weeks ago. I popped in for a look see on that event and it blew my socks off. More than 100 ex- or getting-out-soon ADF – and a range of employers on site with more than 180 actual jobs to offer! I only stayed an hour at that first event and took pages of informative and actionable notes. I think it’s a brilliant concept and well worth checking out. The next one is in Brisbane in February.
The second company I’ll mention is AgriLabour Australia, which has a specific veterans program called AgriVet (http://www.agrilabour.com.au/veterans/), seeking to place ex-ADF in agriculture or agriculture-related positions.
I’d encourage any veteran or soon-to-be veteran to seek out these and other companies’ web sites and Facebook pages and keep track of everything they offer.
All that said, I feel your comments are skating very close to a suggestion that veterans should be handed jobs on a plate. I wouldn’t support that.
I’m a firm believer that veterans are highly trained, skilled, motivated individuals with an excellent attitude to work and getting the job done – and any employer would be well advised and are being actively encouraged to take heed of any job application with ‘military experience’ appropriately outlined in it. But, it’s up to every individual job seeker, whether veteran or not, to do their homework and present themselves appropriately for every single job they apply for. And part of that process is educating themselves, with appropriate assistance, on how to achieve this new mission.
Finding a job is no different to any military mission in terms of the basics of prior preparation and planning – and hard work in the execution. With appropriate training, guidance and mentoring, backed up by military skills, knowledge and attitudes, every soldier, sailor and airman transitioning into the civilian employment marketplace could and should be better prepared and more competitive than most civilians.
That said too, however, anyone ‘just thinking about’ leaving Defence, would also be well advised to think long and hard about it. Defence is fun and exciting when you’re young and keen – but when that shine fades or family commitments begin to bump up against a frequent posting cycle etc etc – the temptation to pull the pin can grow. But my advice is to consider this long and hard first. A Defence job is a good job – very well paid (by comparison to most similar civilian employments – and, really, only the Public Service comes close in this regard), with extra allowances up the wazoo, free medical and dental, subsidised housing (rental or own), plus this and that and the other. And, if you grow really really tired of the current job you’re in, you can always corps transfer or even service transfer. But do not assume ‘getting out’ is going to be easy or even better.
Actually, ‘getting out’ is actually pretty easy – it’s the ‘what next’ that’s the hard part – the new mission, which will not be handed to you on a plate. You have to seek new mission training, plan and prepare, then execute – and then compete for limited positions against the 6000 or so other veterans leaving Defence every year as well as the hundreds of thousands of school and university leavers!
And even then, when you do get a new job, the ‘culture shock’ can be another biggie. You could easily regret leaving ‘the brotherhood’.
Anyway, that’s my two cents worth, since you asked 😉
Brian Hartigan
CONTACT Editor
editor@militarycontact.com