Navy's newest maritime personnel operators are ready to embark on their careers after graduating from initial employment training at HMAS Cerberus.
Seven of the graduates began their Navy journey through the ADF Gap Year-Navy program, the largest number for any single initial employment training cohort.
Seaman Caitlin Dawes said the training and gap year experience built a strong foundation for her Navy career.
"My gap year experience gave me insight and knowledge into how the military works. It also helped me understand the importance of administration in the Navy, and how it links to a maritime personnel operator role," Seaman Dawes said.
"I feel confident with everything the instructors task me with because I have been in the Navy for over a year now, and have been faced with many opportunities and different experiences."
Maritime personnel operators provide specialist administrative support, advice and personnel management services for Navy's people at sea and ashore.
The course includes 13 weeks of residential training at HMAS Cerberus, which covers everything from professional mastery, career pathways and remuneration, to the Defence Force Discipline Act and administrative law.
Seaman Mia Richens emphasised the value of her gap year experience in preparing her for initial employment training.
"During the gap year I was fortunate enough to be able to go sea and work at multiple units around Sydney which gave me some exposure to Navy life," Seaman Richens said.
"It assisted me with the course as I already had exposure to some processes and references which we use in this course. It gave us a lot of exposure to the fleet and came back to Cerberus with an idea of what the Navy was really like."
The ADF Gap Year program allows people aged 17 to 24 to experience life in the Navy, Army and Air Force without making a long-term commitment. Gap year students undertake a variety of roles and gain valuable experience in and out of Defence.
Lieutenant JD Byrne, officer in charge of the ADF Gap Year-Navy program, said it was rewarding to see graduates complete their initial employment training together.
"The program is intertwined with career management and works enthusiastically with individual workgroups to grow our workforce," Lieutenant Byrne said.
"For the program staff, the impact and legacy we hope to have with our members is realised with an emotional reward when members are transferred into a workgroup of their choice; to have members do this with a group of friends is even more satisfying."
