New way in
Tertiary recruitment begins

 

By Cpl Damian Shovell
THE first two candidates for Army’s Officer Tertiary Recruitment Scheme (OTRS) were welcomed by Lt-Gen Peter Leahy, at its launch at the University of Sydney on August 29.

The scheme aims to recruit potential officer cadets from the previously untargeted civilian undergraduate population, by offering to pay their Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) debt on completion of their studies.

Katie Chapman and Ben Ireland are the first two candidates to take advantage of OTRS, with an intended target of 20 applicants by January 2004.

The Chief of Services Committee endorsed the incentive in July 2002, to help decrease the current officer asset liability gap, and to assist existing recruitment methods.

Lt-Gen Leahy said although the ADF is satisfied with the quality of officers that ADFA and RMC are producing, they have struggled to meet the Army’s shortfall in officer recruitment.

“Recruitment through ADFA remains the preferred option for the recruitment and education of officer candidates, however, OTRS offers an avenue for applicants who have chosen to study at other tertiary institutions, to undertake a rewarding career as an officer in the Defence Force,” he said.

“This scheme will provide the Army with additional flexibility in recruitment, making the ADF an even more attractive employer of the nation’s best and brightest graduates.”

OTRS will allow a person currently studying at an Australian tertiary institution to qualify as a General Service Officer (GSO), by undertaking prescribed military training during their studies, and by attending RMC for 12 months afterwards to complete the GSO First Appointment Course.

The guiding principals for the OTRS are:

Conditions of service have been developed to cater for participants in this program, and include a regular wage and medical and dental cover while they are studying.

On successful completion of their tertiary study, the Army will pay the members HECS debt, and once study is undertaken at RMC, will then provide them with the same conditions of service as the other RMC cadets, including medical, dental, wage and housing entitlements.

Applicants will graduate from RMC as a lieutenant with the same seniority as their ADFA and direct entry peers.