Grads taste salt

By Graham Davis

LCDR Tony Keany Tobruk’s Aviation Officer briefs the grads pre sailing.

Decisions made by the 18,000 civilians who work for Defence often impinge on the tasks done by its 50,000 personnel in uniform.

As a result the need for civilian members to have know­ledge and a feel for what Austra­lia’s sailors, soldiers and airmen and women do operationally is vital.

Getting Defence civilians out on a warship for a day or having them visit a shore establishment for a few days is one way of providing that knowledge.

Two schemes, the Graduate Development Program and the Infrastructure Graduate Program, are currently sponsoring these sea days and base visits.

Each February personnel with a degree enter the ten-month long program at an APS 2 level.

Before entering the scheme they are vetted and given a clearance level.

During the ten months they are rotated through up to three departments within Defence and have an opportunity to do a regional rotation in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, even Darwin, but with the majority based in Canberra.

Completion of the course in December is marked with a graduation ceremony and a salary upgrade to APS4 level.
“We generally see a 100 per cent graduation rate,” said Naomi Arnold, the assistant manager of the Graduate Development Program.

“Currently there are 64 people in the GDP and six in the Corporate Services and Infrastructure sponsored IGP scheme,” she said.

Last month, 65 graduates and their managers went to sea in HMAS Tobruk and headed for the Eastern Exercise Area off Jervis Bay where the ship’s company under the command of CMDR Peter Laver, went through a series of drills — including rescues, firefighting and AA firing — and evolutions to demonstrate to the graduates what happens at sea.

The graduates took meals on board, were lectured and given tours of the ship. Returning to Sydney Harbour they disembarked through Tobruk’s stern door to be returned to Garden Island by a DMS launch.

Feedback suggested all had an interesting and knowledge-gaining day.

“Next will be a study tour of RAAF Williamtown, HMAS Kuttabul, Watson, Waterhen, Albatross and finally the Army base at Puckapunyal,” Naomi said.

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