Navy Seaman Xavier Martin on board HMAS Adelaide as part of the ADF Gap Year program.
A gap year has become a popular choice for school leavers and Yarrawonga’s Xavier Martin is relishing his time in the Australian Defence Force.
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As part of the ADF Gap Year Program, Xavier is Navy Seaman Martin, and he says working at sea on a Navy vessel was a far cry from life in regional Victoria.
“I really had no inkling of joining Defence at all really, but I saw the ADF Careers campaign going around and I thought it might be different from university,” Seaman Martin said.
“And it has been a great experience, getting paid to travel around.
“There were plenty of parts of Australia I hadn’t seen, but I’ve seen a lot of them now, and that’s just the nature of the program.”
The ADF Gap Year program has all the benefits of a standard ADF career, including a competitive salary and the opportunity to travel, without having to make a long-term commitment.
The ADF Gap Year program has all the benefits of an ADF career without having to make a long-term commitment.
Taking on the Navy Gap Year program has given Seaman Martin many opportunities and allowed him to see some of the ADF’s most advanced aviation capabilities.
“The Navy Gap Year supervisor works with you and local coordinators to understand what you want to get out of the year,” he said.
“Then they collaborate with relevant teams to make it happen, so you really have the opportunity to shape your experience.
“One of my favourite experiences was on HMAS Adelaide when a couple of Army Chinook helicopters came aboard for training.
“We got up close and that was very cool.”
Seaman Martin intends to apply to the Navy full-time following the end of his gap year, eyeing a career path in naval aviation.
If you’re 17 to 24 and curious about life in the Navy, Army or Air Force, visit www.adfcareers.gov.au/careers/gap-year or call 13 19 01.
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