Surge in Defence applications during COVID-19 jobs crisis
There’s been a big rise in the number of people trying for a military career as the COVID-19 jobs crisis hits home.
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More people are turning to a career in the military to combat the COVID-19 jobs crisis, with the Australian Defence Force recording a sharp spike in applications.
The ADF has attributed a surge in Australians wanting to join its ranks to the health pandemic, after a 21 per cent and 41 per cent increase in applications in March and April respectively compared with the same period last year.
The increase also followed an ADF campaign to promote defence careers and a move to a virtual online recruiting process.
Since the online sessions were introduced on April 14, about 7500 Australians have completed online aptitude tests.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Defence has seen a continuous rise in the number of applications from people wishing to join the Australian Defence Force,” a spokeswoman said.
ADF personnel were deployed to enforce mandatory quarantine measures for Australians who had recently returned from overseas.
The first COVID-19 case in Australia was recorded on January 25 and was declared a public health emergency in SA on March 15.
Sailor Brodie Blaik, 20, of Holden Hill, who joined the navy in 2018, said a rewarding career and the opportunity to travel the world enticed him to consider a defence career.
He is serving on his first operational deployment in the Middle East on-board HMAS Toowoomba, providing maritime security in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.
“It’s tough not being home to support my loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I know they are proud of the job I am doing in the Middle East region,” he said.