A new initiative to help military veterans transition from the armed forces to the university and civilian workforce is launching at the University of the Sunshine Coast. It’s hoped the initiative will help turn around alarmingly high unemployment rates amongst veterans who struggle with their return to civilian life.
The four-week Military Academic Pathway Program (MAPP) is now taking applications from Australian Defence Force veterans who wish to transition out of the armed forces and take their first steps towards civilian careers.
Struggling to find civilian employment
Australian Defence Force (ADF) members may be capable and competent during their time in service, but these skills don’t often translate to civilian life. Data from the Veterans’ Employment Program in 2019 found that out of 641,300 veterans in Australia, one in three was unemployed. Those who were employed, on average, received 30 per cent less than their previous position. Adding to this host of problems, 19 per cent of veterans were underemployed for their military skills and qualifications.
A lack of tertiary qualifications or training plays a big part in unemployment for military veterans. Former ADF members may have the necessary skills for a range of tasks, but employers seeking educational qualifications fail to recognise those capabilities. This makes it challenging for veterans to transition to regular employment from military service.
With the help of programs like MAPP, educators aim to help reduce the unemployment problem for military veterans by making higher education and further training more approachable than ever before. With enough support, former ADF members can improve their job prospects and expand their employment opportunities.
University Senior Lecturer and military veteran Dr Adrian McCallum told EducationDaily that many veterans choose to change career paths by enrolling in tertiary education.
“Our intention is to help veterans best prepare for university studies and to help them think about what type of career they may wish to pursue, once they leave the military,” Dr McCallum says.
Made by veterans, for veterans
“The Military Academic Pathway Program (MAPP) is a program designed by veterans for veterans, to assist them to transition successfully to university studies (either at the University of the Sunshine Coast, or elsewhere),” says Dr McCallum, who is also a military veteran.
“It’s useful for us to provide a short, engaging program that will assist veterans to be most effective, if they choose to pursue tertiary education.”
The program’s location caters to the large numbers of Australia’s veterans who call Queensland home – around 28 per cent, according to 2021 census data. The Sunshine Coast is home to one of the highest populations of ex-serving ADF personnel (12,485).
“A move to university can be a challenging transition to make, particularly if you joined the military at an early age,” says Dr McCallum, who says the program’s success is built on its ability to understand the needs of those keen to transition from defence force life. “The military forms who you are, and it becomes like a family, so when you remove that, there can be a sense of grief that you’ve lost your support and feeling of belonging. You’ve also come from a very structured team environment, so it can be a real struggle to adapt to the fluidity and individuality of the modern workplace.”
Online convenience and a proven program
Developed in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs, MAPP is based on a similar program that has previously found success at Flinders University in South Australia.
To ease wary veterans back into civilian studying and promote maximum attendance, program content will primarily be delivered online, with only a short period of in-person participation required.
The Military Academic Pathway Program is set to begin online on Monday, 19 June, with a face-to-face intensive from 26 June – 30 June at the Sunshine Coast University campus. Enrolments are now open for all military veterans who meet the program requirements and hold proof of their military status.
Dr McCallum has high hopes for the program’s success and says it’s important for veterans to learn from like-minded veteran lecturers – and imagine a positive future for themselves, outside of the defence forces.
“The program provides an introduction to essential academic skills like effective communication, critical thinking and referencing while exposing veterans to a range of discipline-specific knowledge that encourages them to think further about what studies they may wish to pursue.”
