Page 56 - AAPT March 2019

How Sarah made her ADF experience matter

What gives you an edge at
After eight years’ service with the Royal and time management skills, as key to
Australian Navy (RAN), Medical Sailor helping her manage study and work.
university?
Sarah Wheeler decided to make her “The ability to work in stressful high-
experience count by specialising in a tempo areas has allowed me to be
field close to her heart – paediatrics. able to cope with my work, study and
personal commitments.”
“I spoke to a few colleagues who
Experience.
had either started or completed their Qualifications count
study through Charles Sturt University “You learn a lot of skills in the ADF that
(CSU) or other universities, and I was don’t always correlate with a civilian-
And we value yours. That’s why Charles Sturt University (CSU) has created a new
told that CSU were very supportive of recognised qualification, which can
admission pathway using your military experience as a benchmark. It’s our Experience
Defence personnel. They also offered make it difficult to get a job without a
Matters Entry Program, developed in partnership with the Australian Student Veterans
the degree certificate to say you can do it.
Association. I wanted to complete via
“Don’t give up! Sometimes it will be
online education.” “You need to be motivated and hard to maintain service commitments
We use your rank to work out an equivalent ATAR.
CSU grants special consideration
So if you’ve completed your recruit training, initial employment training (or equivalent per and study commitments but keep at it –
requests for service personnel whose committed to study. Not only to be able
to meet the study requirements but also
branch of service) and have at least two years’ experience, you’ll be eligible for most CSU you’ll feel amazing when you finish and
studies are interrupted by military to face any obstacles or challenges you
undergraduate programs.
service, regardless of whether they are may face.” tell people all you have accomplished.
still serving or are reservists. Sarah’s advice? Remain positive. You can do this and
We believe in your experience and we believe in you.
Fitting it all in “Try and start your degree at a time you will get there!”
Whether you’re looking to start your next career or formalise your previous experience with
Because experience matters at
a uni degree, CSU has got your back.
Sarah’s Australian Defence Force where you know you won’t be deployed CSU, Sarah is ready to start her future
(ADF) experience and training prepared in the near future. That gives you the career in the civilian healthcare industry.
her for university study. She credits opportunity to get used to studying
skills common to ADF person again before having to do it in remote Find out how your experience matters
For more information, visit nel, such
as the capacity to adapt to change locations. futurestudents.csu.edu.au/defence
futurestudents.csu.edu.au/defence
Australia looks to the stars as military chief signals Air Force
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
Provider Number for Charles Sturt University is 00005F. © Charles Sturt University, 2019. F6008.
space expansion
Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies predicted that the RAAF will satellites. It will also seek to acquire new
Davies has said Canberra should commit a “significant investment” in space-based intelligence, surveillance
exploit its geography to increase the space in the next twenty years. and reconnaissance capability, Radio
country’s presence in space, admitting The Australian government predicts New Zealand reports. The project’s cost
however that the nation lags behind the that by 2030 the national space industry is estimated at roughly US $355 million.
world’s superpowers. will represent some $12 billion to the Another, JP-9102B, will develop
“Space is one of those domains that economy, and last year it established next-generation Defence Force satellite
needs to expand — our understanding a dedicated Australian Space Agency. communications systems that will
of what is in the sky above us is Davies commented on rumours that improve the command and control of
important,” Air Marshal Davies said. Canberra would launch a “big military deployed forces using space assets.
Speaking at the Avalon International satellite,” saying that it is unlikely Daies said that the Australian military
Air Show outside Melbourne, Air Marshal that something like that will “happen does not plan to create its own version
Davies has predicted a “significant imminently”. of a Space Force, like US President
investment” in space for the Royal “As we look at what we are able to Donald Trump recently announced.
Australian Air Force (RAAF) over the do, that would include increased satellite “I don’t think so, not at this point”,
next twenty years. launches, increased sophistication he said about the idea. “That might be
“We started with bows and arrows about what’s onboard the satellite”, he some time off and something that both
and we got through to missiles — I think said. Defence and successive governments
space is one of the next logical elements Recently, the Defence Force initiated could think about”.
for us to be part of, defend, and also be two projects intended to form the If authorised by Congress, the
viable partners in,” he said. foundation of the nation’s military space Space Force proposal would allow for
“We have begun modestly — as we support. the creation of a sixth service of the US
begin to understand the part we play, One project, named DEF-799, military alongside the Army, Navy, Air
the importance of that is growing very seeks to allow the military direct and Force, Marines and Coast Guard.
quickly”. timely access to commercial imaging

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