Plant Operator
As a Plant Operator, you’ll provide valuable civil construction support to the Air Force and wider ADF. Operating a range of heavy earthmoving equipment, you’ll contribute to the construction and maintenance of pavements, site excavations, and emergency airfield repair and recovery activities.
What you'll do
You'll be an integral member of a team that includes a variety of trades, constructing essential facilities in fixed and deployed locations. Using heavy material and earthmoving plant equipment and vehicles, you'll establish temporary airfields that often need to be constructed at short notice.
Your duties may include:
- assisting allied trades
- operating heavy earthmoving equipment (dozer, excavator, grader, dump truck, etc.)
- planning and conducting civil construction, maintenance and repair works
- planning and conducting heavy lifting operations
- planning and conducting excavation works
- planning and conducting heavy transport operations
- temporary construction services.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career. As you progress, the Air Force will provide you with development opportunities to assist you with your increasing leadership responsibility, as well as further education and specialised training within your chosen role. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and help you to lead teams of aviators in future.
Following training, you could be posted to one of the many Air Force bases within Australia. You could be employed at one of various units or bases within Australia, including RAAF Base Townsville, Qld, RAAF Base Richmond, NSW, Delamere Air Weapons Range, NT and Evans Head Air Weapons Range, NSW. You could also be employed at the School of Military Engineering (SME) as an instructor at Holsworthy Barracks, NSW.
Discover where the Air Force operates across Australia on our base locations map.
It’s pretty rewarding actually, when you can see how happy people are with what we’ve done for them.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. The maximum age to join is 54 years.
For this role, you’ll need an Australian state or territory full, provisional or probationary C Class licence. If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you won’t be eligible until that suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent) education required with passes in English and Maths.
Note: Consumer Maths, General Maths, Mathematics (General Mathematics) and similarly modified Maths subjects are not suitable for this role. If you are unable to provide evidence of educational attainment, education equivalency assessments are available to ascertain your ability at the required education level for this mustering.
If you do not satisfy the minimum educational qualification, you may be considered if you possess relevant work experience or tertiary qualifications.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Female
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 5.1.
Male
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be enlisted for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 6 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation.
Course: Air Force Recruit Training
Duration: 11 weeks
Location: RAAF Base Wagga, NSW
During this, training you'll transition from civilian to Service life, acquiring the basic knowledge, skills and physical fitness required for your role; and learning to become an effective and productive member of the Air Force.
The major elements of the course include:
- personal development and teamwork
- parade drill
- weapon handling and firing
- airfield defence
- fire fighting
- physical fitness
- Air Force history, customs and traditions
- military law.
After graduation, you'll undertake Initial Employment Training (IET) in your trade or category.
After completing your Initial Military Training at RAAF Base Wagga, you’ll be posted to the School of Military Engineering at Holsworthy Barracks, NSW until the completion of the following training.
Course: Military Engineer Course
Duration: 5 weeks
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy Barracks, NSW
This course is designed to train you in the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to undertake basic military engineering tasks within the ADF.
Course: 40M Operator course
Duration: 5 weeks
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy Barracks, NSW
This course trains you in the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to operate the 40M Medium Rigid Vehicle.
Course: Civil Construction Plant Course (CCPC)
Duration: 4 months
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy Barracks, NSW
This course is designed to train you in the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to conduct and operate a variety of earthmoving and material handling tasks in support of ADF operations. This course will provide licence codes in the following earthmoving equipment:
- Backhoe Operator
- Dozer Operator
- Excavator Operator
- Front End Loader Operator
- Grader Operator
- Roller Operator
- Skid Steer Loader Operator
- Material Handling Equipment.
After completion of this training, you’ll proceed on posting to 65 Air Base Recovery Squadron located at either Townsville or Richmond, or Delamere Air Weapons Range, NT. Further Airfield Engineering and Military specific training will be undertaken throughout your career.