STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

SYDNEY LOCK - AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE GAP YEAR CONGRATULATIONS!

Sydney has worked methodically throughout her final year at school, balancing study, sporting commitments, lockdown complications, all while still working toward her ultimate goal of joining the Australian Defence Force in the future as a Paramedic. To help Sydney make this decision she has worked through the ADF application process and has successfully gained a gap year position for 2022. Well done Sydney. 

“I applied for a position in the ADF through the Army Gap Year program. There are three areas in which you could apply for, that being Army Support, Army Combat, or Army Officer. The process of applying has been quite long, having first put my application in during March this year, and being offered a position in October, but the defence force recruiters are all very supportive and helpful the whole way through. In undergoing the application process I had to partake in several different things throughout this year, including online aptitude testing, a ‘You Session’ ADF interview in Albury, practise fitness assessments at the local Army Reserves, and more recently in the September holidays, an Officer Selection Board for the Army Officer position. I was successful in this process and got my Letter of Offer for the Army Gap Year Officer position, beginning January 2022 for 12 months. The first 6 months of the program is training, with the final 6 months working as an Army Gap Year Officer, in which I am aiming to specialise in either signals, artillery, or armoured.

My main reasoning for wanting to join the Army Gap Year program is to experience life in the army without having the full commitment of having to serve a certain amount of time. Another reason was through the opportunities it offers. Being heavily involved in my local sporting community, both as a player and as a coach, the idea of being able to develop my leadership skills, undergo military training, and gain valuable life experience whilst earning money is an amazing prospect and something that I feel is perfect for me and that I will benefit from enormously. 

After finishing the Gap Year, I am planning to attend university to study Paramedicine, or remain in the ADF with the Army. If I am to stay with the Army, I plan on attending ADFA and studying a university degree with the ADF.”