KEY POINTS:
School leavers are being encouraged to spend a gap year in the military, earning up to A$46,000 ($52,201) in what's termed a type of voluntary national service.
Launching the scheme yesterday at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, Prime Minister John Howard said the scheme aimed to recruit up to 1000 young people a year at a cost of A$306 million over the next decades.
Young men and women who have completed year 12 or equivalent in the previous two years will be able to do something worthwhile for the country while gaining valuable skills and experience, Mr Howard said.
"Many of them, we believe, will go on to full-time permanent service careers. Those that don't will find the skills they have acquired during the 12 months gap-year service in the academy absolutely invaluable," he said.
For an initial recruit, the basic pay is A$1020 a fortnight during the three months' basic training and A$1200 a fortnight thereafter. Annual pay ranges from A$30,000 up to A$46,000 for a young sailor spending time at sea. For those who do the gap year, there's a A$10,000 incentive payment to return to the academy within five years.
This is the latest strand in a broad-ranging campaign to improve defence recruitment and retention.
- AAP
