Recruit Instructor Information

Army Recruit Training Centre (ARTC) is the "Home of the Soldier" and you, as Recruit Instructors, set the example and maintain the high standards that are embedded here at Kapooka. There are many rewards to being a Recruit Instructor at ARTC and the Wagga Wagga region is a great place for you and your family.

Recruit Instructor career

Prior to instructing at Kapooka, staff are required to be qualified as a Recruit Instructor. This requires the successful completion of the Marksmanship Instructor Course (MIC), Recruit Instructors Course (RIC) and Qualified Assessors (QA) Course. The MIC, RIC and QA should be conducted consecutively and are designed to be conducted in this order.

Marksmanship Instructor Course (MIC)

This is conducted over a period of five days, inclusive of weekends. The aim of the course is to qualify selected members of the ADF as Marksmanship Instructors, Module One, for employment as Recruit Instructors (RIs) at 1 RTB. The MIC is the first course conducted as part of the Recruit Instructor suite of courses.

Recruit Instructor Course (RIC)

This is conducted over a period of 21 days, inclusive of weekends. RIs have a significant influence over the Army's newest soldiers. RIs must at all times conduct themselves within the finest traditions of the Army. The way a RI conveys their intent, attitudes, beliefs, dress and bearing and the way they promote the Army ethos has a direct influence over the Army newest soldiers.

The quality of the RI is of vital importance to the future of our Army. The RIC will enhance instructional and leadership skills in order to be the role model for our newest soldiers. The nature of the RIC is to develop selected officers, Senior Non Commissioned Officers (SNCO) and Junior Non Commissioned Officers (JNCO) in the competencies of instruction, counselling, leadership and administration required to successfully train Army recruits at 1 RTB.

Qualified Assessor Course (QA)

This is conducted over a period of four days, inclusive of weekends. The QA Course aim is achieved through residential training without the need for post course gathering of evidence (portfolio). The course content incorporates the latest doctrine and policies and is conveyed by means of central presentations, syndicate discussions and practical activities.

An adult learning environment is fostered whereby both trainees and instructional staff provide effort towards the achievement of the aim. By the end of the course, trainees should have achieved the course competencies required to perform tasks as workplace assessors within 1 RTB.

Posting to Kapooka

The Army Recruit Training Centre (ARTC) is the "Home of the Soldier" and you, as Recruit Instructors, set the example and maintain the high standards that are embedded here at Kapooka. There are many rewards to being a Recruit Instructor at ARTC and the Wagga Wagga region is a great place for you and your family.

A posting to Kapooka provides instructors and their family a balanced lifestyle, as the training of recruits follows a strict program. You can predict your work hours, usually weeks, and possibly months, in advance. You can plan your leave, as you can usually expect approximately 10 days leave after march-out of an ARA platoon (subject to scheduling).

The transition to working in a training establishment can be difficult at first but over the course of time you will gain invaluable skills. You will become a better communicator and facilitator of training by applying your own experiences, skills and knowledge. As a Recruit Instructor you will train recruits into the next generation of Australian soldiers. There is no where else in the Army that you can have such a direct impact on the Army's future.

And let's not forget the families. The Wagga community caters for just about everything they could want. The support networks from DCO, DHA and other local groups will make your transition and relocation an easy and pleasant one. There are many great schools in the area, both public and private, and because Wagga is the regional centre for the Riverina there are plenty of employment opportunities. The centre of Wagga is also only 12km from the front gate of ARTC.

The information sheets below provide useful information for families moving to the area.

Recruit Instructor benefits

1ST Recruit Training Battalion (1RTB) is one of the few units in the Australian Army that has implemented a Respite Policy. 1 RTB places a high priority on the management of Staff Respite to ensure personnel are effectively managed.

The very structured nature of the 1 RTB training programs offers the Unit unique opportunities to effectively plan staff respite to meet individual Recruit Instructor (RI) requirements. As such 1 RTB can plan respite with a high degree of certainty. The Recruit Throughput Plan provides 1 RTB staff with the freedom of manoeuvre to plan leave/duties/allocations to maximise individuals RI's respite opportunities.

Leave management

Additional to the leave credits granted yearly, staff members are 1 RTB are also granted:

Three days short leave (OC's grant) post march out of a platoon;
A block of five days CO's leave grant (FSL) every six months;
A maximum of five days ERL; and
Out of an 80 days training program and RI can anticipate up to 12 days rest during ARC and approximately ten days leave after march-out, subject to scheduling.

The curriculum

The training curriculum at 1 RTB has been designed to afford opportunities for staff to take short leave and general downtime throughout the program.

Allocations and Duties. RI's are to be given a minimum two weeks advance warning of allocations and generally a four week warning for all duties. On average an RI can expect two duties per month.

Financial recompense and recognition

To assist with the unique demands of serving within the Recruit Training environment, the Recruit Instructor Bonus provides a Recruit Instructor with an opportunity to be paid an additional sum of moneyfor the duration of their posting. There is a standard qualifying condition that exists which is covered on the Recruit Instructor Course.

Family and work balance. All commanders within the 1 RTB are proactive in supporting our families. The Respite Policy has been formulated to ensure that all members of the unit can achieve a happy family and work balance. Battalion Staff are to be afforded the time to address, what could be considered reasonable, family issues. The curriculum and leave management guidelines provided in the policy allow ample time for the chain of command and unit members to work together to ensure this balance is achieved.

A number of recent initiatives include the partners 'Ready To Work Scheme' have been implemented to support partners who accompany staff.

Sport and leisure activities

While Recruit Training is our core business within 1 RTB every staff member is to be given the opportunity to utilise their spare time to play sport and where possible attend related activities such as sports training.

Base facilities

The base facilities include:

2 swimming pools (Indoor heated pools with a kids pool under shade)
Sauna
Gym & cardio room
Squash courts
Tennis courts
18 Hole golf course
Post office
ADCU & Def Credit
Cinema (regularly showing new release movies)
Kids playground & BBQ area
More information on base facilities.

Wagga guide

Most instructors are surprised to learn that Wagga Wagga is one of Australia's leading regional cities with a population of over 60,000. It is also conveniently located in the centre of Australia's population triangle (Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide - and only 2 1/2 hours to canberra).

Located on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, the city has all the services of a large city. Wagga Wagga has a domestic airport (Regional Express and Qantas Airlines), Charles Sturt University, the Royal Australian Air Force Base and the Kapooka Army Recruit Training Centre.

Wagga is located in the heart of the Riverina and encompasses the area north of the Murray River and includes towns such as Griffith, Narranderra and Ardlethen. This area specialises in agriculture and livestock and is particularly known for its wine production.

Wagga sport

Wagga is well known for its sporting prowess and proudly holds the motto of 'the city of good sports'.

With a relatively small number of residents, the town produces an extraordinary number of high-profile AFL players (Paul Kelly, Wayne Carey, Terry Daniher), NRL players (Peter Sterling, Steve & Chris Mortimer, Jamie Soward), cricketers (Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Geoff Lawson), track and field athletes (Patrick Dwyer, Brad Kahlefelt), golfer (Steve Eklington), tennis (Tony Roche) and more. There is a strong sporting culture for people of all ages and the sporting facilities available are excellent.

There are plenty of social and competitive sporting competitions in Wagga. Some of these include:

Australian rules football
Rugby league
Rugby union
Soccer
Softball
Baseball
Volleyball (indoor)
Netball
Cricket (indoor and outdoor)
Tennis (indoor and outdoor)
Squash
Pool/snooker
Lawn bowling
Cycling (mountain bike, track circuit and road)
Golf (18 holes courses, pitch and put)
Shooting (clay and pistol)
Racing (horse, harness and greyhounds)
go-karts

For those that love their water-sports, they'll be pleased to know that Wagga is located right on the Murrumbidgee River, has a large man-made lake (Lake Albert), and is the home of the Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre (state of the art indoor and outdoor swimming/diving/kids pool facilities). Some popular water-sports in the area include:

Sailing
Water skiing
Canoeing
Kayaking
Fresh water fishing
Water polo

Study with Charles Sturt University

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Army have developed a pathway for Army personnel to study CSU's Associate Degree of Adult and Vocational Education to formally recognise your skills and gain civillian tertiary qualifications.

What is CSU's Associate Degree in Adult and Vocational Education?

an entry level course providing a professional development opportunity for Army personnel,
a course to enable people with techincal or vocational qualifications and experience to teach in a range of settings such as adult learning environment or vocational settings,
a course providing the skills and knowledge to enhance instructional abilities,
an opportunity to develop expertise to instruct at TAFE or in an industry Registered Training Organisation in the role of trainer, learning facilitators or vocational education consultant.

Credit

CSU's Associate Degree in Adult and Vocational offers credit on entry of 64 points to Army personnel who have recognised trade qualifications (Certificate III) and a minimum of three years relevant industry experience, or other equivalent qualifications. This equals one year of full-time study or eight subjects.

Army personnel who have completed a combination of the following courses receive up to 24 points additional credit against competencies of the TAE40110 Certificate IV Training and Assessment:

Recruit Instructor course
Junior Leaders course
Qualified Assessor course
Training Supervisor course
Officer Training (RMC-D/ADFA)

Credit for the following subjects will be awarded:

EPT327 Effective Teaching in VET
EEE303 Training Design and Assessment
EPT322 Training in Workplaces

With this credit only five subjects will need to be studied. CSU's Associate Degree in Adult and Vocational offers credit on entry of 64 points to Army personnel who have recognised trade qualifications (Certificate III) and a minimum of three years relevant industry experience, or other equivalent qualifications. This equals to one year of full-time study or eight subjects.

Course Structure

Entry to the program can be in any session. Students studying part-time can undertake one or two subjects per session (Session 1 Feb – Jun; Session 2 Jul – Nov; Session 3 Nov – Feb).

A typical structure for Army personnel who receive the maximum credit:

Session 1 – EML 102 Written Communication
Session 2 – EEL 120 Social Context of Vocational Education and Training
Session 3 – EEL 320 Learning Theories for Post Compulsory Education
Session 4 – EPT 320 High Level Facilitation Skills
Session 5 – EEB 312 Reflective Practice and Lifelong Learning

Cost of study

Serving Army personnel may be eligible for assistance through the Army Tertiary Education Program (ATEP). For further information please refer to ATI 5-4 Army Education Schemes or the Army Education Program webpage on the HQ FORCOMD intranet website.