Education Officer
As an Army Education Officer, you’ll work on professional development programs and provide advice and resources. Your work will ensure the Army’s learning, education and training (LET) systems, processes and outcomes meet the current and future needs of its workforce.
What you'll do
You’ll work in a range of Defence training organisations in roles that offer variety, challenges and travel that you won’t find in a regular education environment.
In this in-demand role, you’ll contribute to the learning outcomes of Defence members and gain experience and skills that will equip you for advancement in the Army.
For example, you could find yourself supporting instructors and learners in one of the dynamic Defence training establishments across Australia or developing education and learning systems policies in Canberra.
Your duties will depend on your rank, qualifications and experience and may include:
- development of Defence instructors
- improvement of Defence learning interventions, programs and outcomes
- development of transferable skills to increase the employability of Defence personnel
- designing evidence-based learning products and online learning
- assurance and evaluation of Defence’s syllabi and learning products to meet command, system and quality requirements
- development of Defence’s learning systems practitioner workforce
- providing technical advice on the governance, assurance and application of Army and Defence learning doctrine, policies, procedures and innovations
- providing learning technology advice
- leading learning product development teams
- designing curriculum
- conducting Australian familiarisation and English training for foreign students
- conducting performance and learning analysis to support future capability requirements
- directing service and enterprise-level education and learning systems organisations.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
As an officer in the Army, you may also undertake a posting to an Any Officer role during your career, such as instructor/training roles and staff officer roles. This experience helps you broaden your skill set and prepare for more senior roles.
Following training, you could be posted at most major base locations around Australia, or at a training establishment in a regional area.
If you’re a highly qualified English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher with a training development background, you may be posted overseas to provide English language training to countries in the region.
Discover where the Army operates across Australia on our base locations map.
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 57 years.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
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.
As a minimum requirement, you’ll have completed an initial teacher education qualification and meet the requirements for full teacher registration in at least one Australian state or territory at the time of application.
Initial teacher education programs include:
- Bachelor of Education
- Dual / combined degree e.g. Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education
- Postgraduate degree e.g. Graduate Diploma of Education, Master of Teaching or Master of Education (for those with an undergraduate degree outside the education area).
The Army may consider teaching and curriculum design experience other than that listed above, on a case-by-case basis and depending on service need.
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.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 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 appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 4 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.
In this role, you’ll need strong verbal and written communication skills to convey ideas, orders and to communicate clearly with your superiors, subordinates and your peers. You’ll also need to be able to accurately analyse and interpret complex communications.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.
Course: Regimental Officer Basic Course (ROBC)
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Simpson Barracks, Melbourne, Vic
This training will follow your initial military training and will prepare you for your initial duties as a Lieutenant Education Officer. ROBC is run once annually.
You’ll have opportunities to further your professional qualifications with the assistance of Army sponsorship schemes.