Building your skills and expanding your knowledge can help you find your next role in the civilian workforce. It can also advance your career or grow your business.
You can build your skills and knowledge through:
- vocational education and training (VET)
- microcredentials
- tertiary education
- online learning
- on-the-job training
- volunteering
Defence Career Transition Training Program
The Defence Career Transition Training (CTT) Program provides funding for training and upskilling. The program helps eligible members achieve their post-separation employment goals.
You can apply while still serving or up to 24 months post leaving the ADF. If you’re medically separating and can’t do the training, you may apply to preserve the benefit. Talk to an ADF Transition Coach about the educational opportunities available to you.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses give you the practical skills you need to gain employment in some of Australia’s most in-demand industries. Flexible study options make VET perfect for people looking to change careers or take the next step in their current profession.
Nationally accredited VET courses are designed and taught by industry experts and are delivered by:
- government-owned technical and further education (TAFE) institutes
- independent registered training providers (RTOs)
- dual sector universities that offer VET and higher education programs.
Your Career provides a national directory of VET organisations and courses. You can search for a range of study options and VET training providers.
Course Seeker allows you to search and compare thousands of VET and tertiary courses from different institutions across Australia.
Fee-Free TAFE
Fee-Free TAFE is a joint initiative of the Australian, State and Territory governments. It provides free courses to students who want to train, retrain or upskill.
Fee-Free places are targeted to priority groups. These include First Nations people, young people aged 17-24, job seekers, unpaid carers, women in non-traditional fields of study and people with disability.
Fee-Free TAFE offers a range of courses in industry sectors with skill shortages or growth areas, including:
- care (aged care, childcare, health care and disability care)
- technology and digital
- hospitality and tourism
- construction
- agriculture
- sovereign capability, for example defence and manufacturing industries
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) workforce.
Your Career provides further information on fee-free TAFE and how to enrol in your state or territory.
TAFE veteran programs
Several Australian TAFEs offer programs or support for veterans. Some are detailed below.
TAFE Queensland’s Defence to Civilian Success Training Program provides services to help support veterans to re-enter the workforce. Defence Solutions Officers (DSOs) will work with you to make sure the training and experience you gained during your time with the ADF is considered for credit or recognition of prior learning. There are also a range of funding options that can reduce the costs of your studies, including fee-free TAFE courses and concessions.
The TAFE NSW Ranks to Recognition offers a wraparound service. It includes careers advice, skills assessment, credit transfer and recognition of prior learning. It also includes a training gap analysis to help identify the skills and knowledge acquired in the ADF, and the pathway to civilian qualifications.
Under NSW JobTrainer veterans and their partners have access to fee-free training to gain skills in emerging Australian industries and help to move to civilian life after service.
The TAFE WA Defence Industry Veterans Employment Scheme (DIVES) provides 80 scholarships a year of up to $5,000 to eligible veterans. The scholarships help eligible veterans to cover costs relating to VET and university studies relevant to defence industry careers, including tuition and other compulsory fees, textbooks and equipment. The DIVES program also provides career planning support to identify training or further study leading to defence industry career pathways.
Becoming an apprentice or trainee
An Australian Apprenticeship, commonly known as an apprenticeship or traineeship, is a learning pathway that combines paid on-the-job training and formal study with a Registered Training Organisation.
Apprenticeships are not just for school leavers. An Australian Apprenticeship can also be undertaken by adults who are re-entering the workforce or simply looking for a career change.
Australian Apprenticeships provides apprenticeship advice and support, including how to find an apprenticeship that suits you, the steps to apply and what financial support you could be eligible for as an apprentice.
Microcredentials
Microcredentials are short certification courses in a specific area of study that allow you to build industry-relevant skills at a university level. These new courses are an affordable and fast way to sharpen your skills and knowledge to remain competitive in the workforce.
Certain microcredentials can be combined together to build up to a higher-level (or alternative) qualification. You will receive a certificate of completion that you can share with employers and may receive academic credit towards a future degree.
MicroCred Seeker allows you to browse and compare microcredentials available in Australia from tertiary education and training providers.
University support for veterans
Several Australian universities offer programs or support for veterans. Some are detailed below.
As a current or former member of the Australian Defence Force, you might be eligible for a dedicated entry pathway, recognition of prior learning, transition to study program and ongoing support at Australian Catholic University’s Student Veteran Services. ACU services to veterans and family members are available across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, and Townsville.
Charles Darwin University Australia offers courses for Defence members. As a current or former serving member you are entitled to a range of benefits including certain fee-exempt TAFE courses and specific university academic entry options.
Charles Sturt University's Experience Matters program is a pathway into university for veterans and serving ADF personnel.
Flinders University offers a Military Academic Pathway Program (MAPP) open to Australian Defence Force veterans, including personnel still serving, those in the process of leaving the ADF, and people who have already left. Upon successful completion, students may apply to commence a Flinders University degree. The MAPP is supported by the Australian Student Veterans Association which brings veterans and their family members together to facilitate the higher education experience.
Griffith University offers a Veterans Direct application pathway that provides an opportunity to apply directly to the University for admission to most Griffith undergraduate degrees on the basis of your service.
University of South Australia offer a Veterans’ Engagement and Education Program available to veterans, current serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members, including reservists, first responders, and immediate family members.
University of Western Sydney offer a Student Veteran Program that provides a range of practical support for currently serving ADF members and veterans studying.
The University of Wollongong's Veterans Scholar Scheme offers you the opportunity to apply for admission on the basis of your service. They also accept many ADF training qualifications for assessment.
Online learning platforms
Online educational courses are easily accessible, expand your knowledge and can help you up-skill, re-skill or learn new skills.
Here are some online learning platforms that offer affordable or free courses in a wide range of topics.
FutureLearn offers online courses from Australian universities designed to expand your skillset and further your career.
Open Learn is a free learning platform, delivered by The Open University, offering free courses, topical and interactive content and videos which allow you to enhance your work skills without committing to full-time study.
Hays learning offers free skill development courses in a wide range of topics, including communication, problem solving, team-work, commercial acumen, data analysis and Microsoft Office.
LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that helps you discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through courses taught by industry experts. This is a subscription based service, however you may be able to access LinkedIn Learning for free through state and university libraries.
Skill Finder provides access to online courses provided by the world's leading tech companies.
Coursera is a global online learning platform that offers free online courses in a wide array of topics providing accessible education for career advancement or individual learning goals.
Codecademy is an interactive learning platform for website building, coding, AI, cloud computing and data analysis. There are a range of free beginner courses and resources available.
On-the-job training
Learning on the job allows you to gain new skills and knowledge while you’re performing your regular work duties. On-the-job training not only builds your skills and expertise in your current role, it can support career advancement opportunities.
You will likely receive some formal on-the-job training in the form of instructor-led training sessions and eLearning courses. But some of the biggest learning opportunities can come informally through knowledge sharing with your workmates, supervisors and mentors.
How can you make the most of learning opportunities in your workplace?
- Take ownership and accountability for your learning by seeking out learning opportunities and allocating time for self-directed learning.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions to build a deeper understanding of your job and industry.
- Be willing to try new things. If your supervisor needs someone to perform a new task, consider volunteering for the opportunity.
- Seek feedback from your supervisor on how you might perform a task more effectively in the future, then implement that next time around.
- Ask if you can job shadow to observe the daily duties of a manager or one of your more experienced teammates.
- Volunteer to rotate tasks and roles with your colleagues to learn and practice new skills.
- Participate in mentoring or coaching programs offered by your employer.
- Offer to be a part of committees and working-groups.
- Attend conferences, workshops and presentations.
Volunteering
Volunteering is not just about giving back to the community. It’s also a great way to build your professional skills and advance your career.
Volunteering can help you:
- Learn more about an industry, sector or career path you’re interested in.
- Gain valuable work experience to add to your resume.
- Demonstrate your transferable skills, such as team work, time management, communication and problem solving.
- Meet new people and expand your professional network.
- Improve your self-esteem and confidence.
- Show employers that you care about your community.
How to showcase your volunteer experience when applying for jobs
You can showcase your volunteer experience to prospective employers by including it in your resume, cover letter and online profiles. You can also talk about volunteering during an interview if the experience is relevant to the role.
On your resume, treat a volunteer position the same way you would a regular position. Include the organisation name, position titles, dates, a brief description and your achievements. LinkedIn also allows you to present your volunteering experience similarly to how you showcase your paid work history and qualifications on the site.
You can include volunteering with your work experience or in a separate section called ‘Other relevant experience’ or ‘Volunteer experience', depending on your personal preference. Alternatively, you can mention volunteer work briefly in your summary or skills section, if you have limited space.
In applications and interviews, communicate your volunteer experience clearly and concisely to highlight the transferable skills that you gained, in relation to the job you’re applying for.
Want to start volunteering?
There are a huge range of volunteering opportunities in the community which can be short-term, long-term or one-off events.
GoVolunteer provides a national database of volunteering opportunities for you to explore.
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is a veteran-led disaster relief non-profit organisation. DRA unites the skills and experience of veterans with first responders and civilian volunteers to aid disaster recovery operations around the world.
The Seek Volunteer portal advertises volunteer opportunities by category, type, and location, and includes online and remote opportunities.
For volunteer opportunities in each state and territory visit: