‘The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any’

This quote appeared in my LinkedIn feed this morning and really hit me The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any Does this resonate with you as a defence or veteran family member? Large parts of our lives often seem so far out of our control – … More ‘The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any’

Career support for young people in ADF families

As far as I’m aware, there are no specific programs for the children of ADF members. And I think that should change. (see note 2) Research shows that effective career development begins in primary school and should be available to people throughout their lives. Career development is essential for people to make good choices about … More Career support for young people in ADF families

ADF partner employment: it’s more about asset and opportunity than problem solving

The knowledge that career development is good for individuals, families, communities, employers and the economy (and in this context, good for defence and national security) becomes the foundation for identifying and creating a suitable ADF partner career development strategy and framework and designing, developing and investing in suitable career development policies and programs. Rather than a problem-focused … More ADF partner employment: it’s more about asset and opportunity than problem solving

Career Portfolios

I love the idea of keeping a career portfolio. Career portfolios are a collection of all your career-related information: qualification certificates, academic transcripts, copies of your resume, CPD records, course attendance, references, awards and other recognition, your list of submitted job applications, goal setting, career ideas and plans, projects you’ve worked on, volunteer work you’ve … More Career Portfolios

Partner career development; it’s about paid and unpaid work and career life roles

I often use the word employment but it’s not really partner employment I’m interested in – it’s partner career development. It’s understanding and helping people make decisions about their career, and making the context they are making those decisions in as just as possible. And by career I mean the journey through work, learning and … More Partner career development; it’s about paid and unpaid work and career life roles

Partner employment and military to civilian transition

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/partner-employment-military-civilian-transition-amanda-mccue-cf/ Employment is a key feature of military transition programs. Here in Australia we have job search preparation workshops, coaching, supportive employer programs and even an employment awards program at the highest level of government. There is broad understanding that employment is an essential part of veteran wellbeing. According … More Partner employment and military to civilian transition

Rank, gender and working arrangements of ADF members: results from the Defence Census and implications for partner employment

When it comes to families we generally don’t think that the rank of the member matters. And family support initiatives are tri-service (or purple) in their approach. But when it comes to partner careers it’s more nuanced than that. Because careers are where personal factors meet contextual ones. For ADF partners these contextual factors include where and how much our ADF members work, and how much of the unpaid family work we’re performing as a result. So it’s with interest that I look at the data from the 2019 Defence Census to find out how the ADF workforce is working in terms of service, rank and gender, and what implications it has for partner employment. … More Rank, gender and working arrangements of ADF members: results from the Defence Census and implications for partner employment

What my version of military to civilian employment support would look like

One tool used in narrative and solution-focused career counselling is the “magic wand” or “miracle question”. We ask clients if a miracle happened over night and they woke up tomorrow feeling like everything was as it should be –  what would that look like?  If I woke up tomorrow and a miracle had occurred that … More What my version of military to civilian employment support would look like

The confusing message of ADF partner employment support

The intent and the content of current partner employment programs raises some interesting questions about what partner employment support in Australia should look like. I’m a big fan of the current Partner Employment Assistance Program (PEAP) but I have written before about how and why it is not enough on its own. What I find … More The confusing message of ADF partner employment support

Posted? 5 things you can do to prepare for work in your new location

It’s that time of year, but what a year to be posted! If you’re not overwhelmed by travel plans, quarantine requirements and finding a new home you may be starting to think ahead about work in your new location. Here’s 5 things to get you started: If you’re a recognized partner of an ADF member … More Posted? 5 things you can do to prepare for work in your new location