While RAAF typically recruits aviators that require military and initial employment training, the Philippine Air Force often focuses on recruiting already qualified individuals.
This was one of several differences Flight Sergeant Brad McGarrity and other ADF counterparts discovered during a senior enlisted leaders forum in Manila from September 12-13.
A three-man team of ADF career managers briefed about 30 senior enlisted personnel from across the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024.
The team members spoke about how the ADF recruits and trains personnel, from enlistment to being job ready.
They explained how each service's career management and posting cycles operate, along with new retention initiatives, including a recent increase in ADF leave from 20 to 25 days a year.
Each also covered current personnel numbers, male-female representation and recruiting goals.
Following presentations on the Military Personnel Division, Career Management - Army and Navy Career Management, Flight Sergeant McGarrity presented on RAAF's people-centric approach.
"We received lots of questions about retention and recruitment and overseas lateral engagement," he said.
"The Philippine Air Force personnel were very interested to talk about technical skills.
"They are very specialised in their chosen career paths, however, we are very focused on being multi-faceted aviators."
'Their ideas on specialising their aviators has been really great to understand, and the advantages of why they do that.'
Filipino personnel presented on their military's shift from counterterrorism to building a territorial defence force, along with how they conduct career management.
Australians briefed their counterparts on ADF's military justice system and how wounded and ill personnel are cared for.
Participants also took part in discussions to understand the issues each force is facing and possible solutions.
While the Armed Forces of the Philippines don't tend to struggle with recruitment, retention issues were something they had in common with the ADF.
"They lose people at the higher ranks, whereas we predominately lose people at the junior-to-intermediate levels," Flight Sergeant McGarrity said.
"They're trying to retain more of their people and looking at why other organisations are taking them abroad.
"So they're looking at trying to keep their members engaged throughout their career."
Flight Sergeant McGarrity found his Philippine counterparts to be professional, friendly and honest, while offering new concepts on recruitment and retention.
"Their ideas on specialising their aviators has been really great to understand, and the advantages of why they do that," he said.
"However, they were also very interested to learn the benefits of growing multi-faceted personnel and how that would shape their senior enlisted leaders of the future."
