Edition 1230, March 04, 2010 - Department of Defence

16 FEATURES Army March 4, 2010
Management
Strategic Human Resource Management and
the High Performing Organisation .........................12 Mar
Testing Preparedness - Minimising the Risk
through Exercise Management ...................... 17 - 18 Mar
Organisational Resilience..................................... 7 - 8 Apr
Military Systems
Introduction to Radar Systems ........................19 - 21 Apr
GPS & its Military Application .........................27 - 28 Apr
Modern Military Navigation Systems..............27 - 29 Apr
Occupational Health and Safety
Laser Safety Introductory 1 Day & 4 Day
(Melb) ............................................................. 22 - 25 Mar
Project Management
Recovering Troubled Projects.......................... 15 - 16 Mar
Introduction to Project Management............. 22 - 24 Mar
www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/bsu/courses
Business Services
Professional Education Courses
UNSW@ADFA is a campus of the University of New South Wales and is located at
the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. UNSW@ADFA offers a range of
postgraduate programs and Professional Education courses for the general community
and Defence personnel. These courses provide stimulating learning and networking
opportunities within a supportive environment.
Courses offered in March - April 2010:
No horsing around
Systems Engineering
Introduction to Systems Engineering
(Canb) .............................................................15 - 17 Mar
Systems Engineering Practice (Canb) ............18 - 19 Mar
Requirements Engineering.............................29 - 31 Mar
Introduction to Systems Engineering (Syd) .......12 - 14 Apr
Systems Engineering Practice (Syd)................15 - 16 Apr
Most of these courses can be tailored for
in-house delivery.
A number of our courses can also be
used towards credit for eligible
postgraduate programs.
For further information and details of
over 70 courses available through
UNSW@ADFA contact:
E: bsu@adfa.edu.au
T: (02) 6268 8421
or go to the website below
to download our brochure.
CRICOS Provider Number: 00100G · ETS 11291
WHEN Pte Anthony Baker dropped
out of school at 13 in his indigenous
community of Borroloola to
become a ringer on cattle stations in
the Northern Territory, he could never
have imagined he would end up going
to school at the prestigious St Joseph’s
College in Sydney.
With his literacy comprehension
standards measured to the equivalent
of primary school, the 18-year-old had
a poor foundation and few options for
employment.
After graduating from last year’s
seven-month pilot Defence Indigenous
Development Program (DIDP) at the
Katherine Rural College, the young
soldier is getting a second shot at life
through the ADF scholarships program.
He started Year 10 this year.
“When I first heard about the DIDP, I
knew this was my year. Something good
was coming,” Pte Baker said when he
accepted the student of merit award on
graduation day last year.
DIDP liaison officer Maj John Lotu
travelled across the Northern Territory
and Kimberley region last year interviewing
applicants like Pte Baker and
said he remembers meeting the keen
17-year-old.
“You could tell there was something
special about this kid and he proved us
right,” Maj Lotu said.
“He was our youngest soldier on the
program, but his maturity and presence
of mind was well beyond his age.
“At every opportunity during the
course work he took the initiative to help
his older classmates in the VET components
he had real life experience in.”
Pte Baker graduated with nine other
soldiers in December last year from the
program with improved language, literacy
and numeracy skills and VET certifications
for better employability in both a
civilian and Defence capacity.
The seven-month DIDP program
also provided its graduates with leadership,
self esteem, employment skills,
On a winner: Pte Anthony Baker, at
left, discusses the horsemanship display
for the DIDP graduation day with fellow
Norforce soldiers and (inset) concentrates
while on course. Photos by Gnr Shannon Joyce
At 18 years of age Pte Anthony Baker will
leave his remote community of Borroloola to
start Year 10 at St Joseph’s College in Sydney,
Gnr Shannon Joyce reports.
cross-cultural and military training.
Rather than taking up the opportunity
DIDP provided to become an Aboriginal
Community Police Officer, Pte Baker
attracted the attention of the Defence
Indigenous Directorate, and was offered
the chance to study at one of Australia’s
top colleges under the ADF scholarships
program for indigenous students.
Proud of its indigenous heritage, the
ADF is offering its scholarship program
through its recently developed Defence
Reconciliation Action Plan to ensure the
tradition of serving indigenous personnel
continues.
The ADF scholarships program covers
the educational and travel costs for
its recipients to attend selected boarding
colleges, public schools and Australian
technical colleges.
For Pte Baker, this means three years
of support through to the end of Year 12.
His situation is a familiar story for
indigenous teens in remote NT communities.
Many have simple dreams that
their education standard and self confidence
could never achieve.
Norforce’s Maj Lotu said he would
like to see many more dreams recognised
through such an important wholeof-government
initiative as DIDP.
“Anthony is embarking on another
journey that will hopefully create a pathway
for other indigenous youth who
have the drive to succeed but suffer the
disadvantage of a poor education.” Maj
Lotu said.
The recruitment process for reaching
out to other indigenous youth through
the 2010 DIDP has commenced in the
communities. The program’s second
year starts in May.
DIDP is a whole-of-government initiative
between the Department of Defence,
Department of Education, Employment and
Workplace Relations and the NT Department of
Education and Training.