08 Dec 2022 | 3 mins
Overview
  • Ever wondered what it's really like being in the Navy, Army or Air Force?
  • We took a look at what it's like to have a career in the Australian Defence Force!

Looking from the outside, there’s loads to love about a career in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) - from working on exciting projects through to subsidies on your accommodation, education and healthcare. But what does life in the ADF actually look like? Let’s take a look at some of the things you can get up to in the Navy, Army or Air Force.

You get to stay fit

If you love exercising and staying fit, then a career in the ADF could be a great pick. Many roles in the Navy, Army or Air Force require you to have a certain level of fitness, that changes depending on the role you’d like to specialise in. That’s why the ADF wants to support you to get into great shape - even before you enlist! The ADF Active app evaluates how close you are to service recruitment standards, then builds a bespoke plan to help you nail your Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA).
Once you’re in the ADF, you’ll undergo an initial training, as well as any special training for your role - but it’s all part of the fun and the challenge of unlocking your potential. Once you’ve completed your training you’ll be expected to maintain your fitness and health, but you’ll have access to free gym facilities, health services and dental to stay healthy and feeling up to the task.

Learning is part of the job

Unlocking your potential doesn’t just stop at your physical fitness. Like any career, working in the ADF is a process of lifelong learning, and they’re invested in helping you to build your skills. If you’re interested in a university degree, you can study HELP-debt free through the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) while completing additional ADF training.
If you’re more interested in building your vocational skills, you can learn on-the-job through their extensive employment training programs. As you progress, you’ll be able to keep training into more specialised and rewarding positions that’ll keep you challenged.

Getting some me-time in

While the opportunity to challenge and better yourself is pretty awesome, it’s important to get some down-time as well. There are loads of social groups and sports teams to choose from, and if you’re living on-base your time is your own. Something you might not expect from the ADF is that you still get the same annual leave entitlements that you would in the civilian world.

Some roles even get an additional two weeks’ leave, and if you’re keen to visit home while working away you’ll have your travel paid for by the ADF.

So, if you’re someone interested in taking on a challenging but rewarding role where you can make mates and memories for life, why not take a look at the Australian Defence Force?