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Subject:
Huh - No organised work experience in the ADF???
DropBear
3/30/2008 10:42:04 PM
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Well this came as a surprise to me as well as the Minister apparently. I remember spending a week with 38SQN as a high school kid and it was the most memorable week of my 12 years at school. Getting a flight in a Boo and seeing what life was like certainly had me keen on joining up. Would have too if it weren't for my eyesight.
Didn't know it was not the done thing and as I have been on several bases since then, I can only wonder why they think there is a security issue looking after a work experience kid when they don't seem to bothered what contractors do once they sign in at the gate.
Go figure.
h*tp://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23440335-31477,00.html
STUDENTS will do work experience in the defence force, despite the objections of defence chiefs.
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon will order the launch of a student work experience scheme at bases across the country.
He says none of the objections to the scheme - including the safety of participants, security of bases and the resources involved in supervising students - are insurmountable.
Mr Fitzgibbon said defence chiefs had told him why the issues posed a challenge, rather than how the scheme could be implemented.
?This will be resolved by me simply issuing an edict that this shall be done,? he told ABC Radio today.
?We will have a template which can be laid across every substantial base in this country which will allow young people to go along and experience a week or two in the ADF (Australian Defence Force), learning more about the culture of the ADF and what it is like to work within it.?
Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin accused Mr Fitzgibbon of letting power go to his head after only three months in the job.
?For Mr Fitzgibbon to pretend he knows more about defence's safety, security and resource issues than the service chiefs shows that the power has gone to his head,? he said in a statement.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he had been astounded to find the ADF effectively had no work experience program.
?We have a looming people and skills shortage crisis about to get worse as the government spends record amounts of money on new capability,? he said.
?Yet we are not giving young people that opportunity to have short-term exposure to life and work within the ADF.
?I am determined that should change.?
Mr Fitzgibbon said Labor supported the former government's gap-year program - designed to give school leavers a year-long experience of service life - as well as cadets and the reserves.
But all those involved long-term commitments, he said.
?Generation Y isn't all that good at making longer-term commitments without having a bit of a taste first,? he said.
?This program I am talking about would give them just that week or two within the ADF, working alongside ADF personnel, learning more about the work involved and the culture.
?And, hopefully, many of them having had that taste will decide to come back on a permanent basis.?
Safety issues would not be any worse than for students undertaking work experience at an engineering firm, although base security issues would need to be addressed.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he appreciated the difficulties in hosting work experience students.
?It can be a real pain in the backside, to be frank.
?But other industries do it and they do it as their contribution both to the development of our young people and to the national economy.
?The ADF has an obligation to do the same.?
Senator Minchin said one-off work experience opportunities had to be weighed against the implications for defence operations, base security and safety.
?An alternative that Mr Fitzgibbon should consider is an ADF Careers Week - opening up defence bases for school visits for a dedicated week every year.
?(That) could address the service chiefs' concerns, while giving school children more taste of the military.?
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