Help in career transition

By WGCDR David Lindsay
The white paper, Defence 2000, Our Future Defence Force, recognised that people are capability.
The importance of retaining skilled and experienced people as a means to maintain and improve capability was realised.

Why then, does Defence spend about $3m per year helping ADF members to transition to civilian employment?
There are two key reasons. First, Defence is a people-focused organisation; by caring for people the organisation and individuals benefit.

The second reason is that if ADF members are confident they’ll be assisted to gain employment if leaving the ADF, they’ll be happy to remain for longer.

A generous range of benefits is available through two schemes – the schemes are the Career Transition Assistance Scheme (CTAS) and the Defence Assisted Study Scheme (DASS).

This financial year, Defence will spend about $2.8m on CTAS benefits and about $0.3m on DASS benefits aimed at helping ADF members in career transition.

The primary scheme to help members in career transition is the CTAS. Benefits available through the CTAS include:

• approved training (Career Transition Training – CTT)
• professional outplacement services (Career Transition Management Coaching – CTMC)
• professional help to develop a resume
• financial planning advice
• on-job experience in civilian workplaces (OJE)
• release from duty for transition-related activities (Approved Absence – AA)
• attendance at ADF Transition Seminars
• access to computer-based information and tools for:
  • identifying suitable employment
  • job searching
  • developing a resume
  • personal presentation at interviews.

Members’ benefits under the CTAS vary, depending on how long members have served, and the type of discharge.
For members who discharge voluntarily, entitlements increase after completing 5, 12 and 18 years of service.

Members who reach Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) having completed a minimum of 12 years service are entitled to the same benefits as members who voluntarily discharge having completed 18 or more years of service.

Members who are medically discharged or made redundant are eligible for most or all of the available benefits. The table below shows who may access each benefit.

The following are courses that may be approved under the CTAS, provided they meet policy requirements in your case:

• flying endorsement
• driving heavy vehicles
• plant operator training
• SCUBA instructor
• company director course
• wine-making
• vessel Master certification
• real estate management

Make sure you access your CTAS benefits as soon as you have applied to leave the ADF. Discuss your post-discharge career intentions with your local Resettlement Officer so you can plan and prepare for discharge.
You can find out more about CTAS from:

ADF Pay and Conditions Manual Chap 10 part 7
The CTAS web sites: http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/dpectap,
http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dpectap/

The primary aim of the DASS is to improve the study opportunities of ADF personnel, and to encourage members to consider professional education and training options throughout their careers.

DASS is based on different levels of support, depending on the nature of the course or development program.

Under the DASS, this financial year about $2m will be spent Defence-related courses that are related to the Defence employment of applicants. Most of those courses are also valued by civilian employers improving applicants’ post-discharge employment opportunities.

A further $0.3m will used to sponsor members undertaking courses related to their post-discharge employment intentions.

All members on full-time service may apply for vocationally-focused courses for career transition purposes. Members are normally reimbursed 75 per cent of costs, up to $1000 per year, on successful completion of courses.

The courses must relate to the member’s intended post-discharge career, and the member must intend to discharge within a reasonable timeframe.

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