Want to have a serious case of career envy? Hang out with the next generation of RAAF ladies at the Avalon Air Show.
During the Avalon Air show, I was lucky enough to meet a cadre of Air Force women carving their way through the organisation: the Gender Adviser to the Chief of Air Force; an aeronautical engineer responsible for maintaining the C130 fleet; a pilot that flew C130s and is about to go back to flying operations after having two children and recent graduates from various military training institutions.
Rather than encapsulate each of their stories in a nutshell, I decided to let each of them talk to you in their own words via a roundtable interview we held between the roar of fast jets overhead. Firstly a little about each of the interviewees.
1. Wing Commander Llani Kennealy: I joined the Air Force from Tasmania in 1990 as a Communications Operator. I commissioned to Personnel Capability Officer in 2001 and undertook a variety of positions including a posting to Officers’ Training School as an Instructor. I transferred to the Air Force reserves in 2007 and since then I have been working both full time and part time in various positions within the Directorate of Personnel Air Force. In addition to my current position as Deputy Director of Air Force Gender Programs I was recently appointed as the inaugural Gender Adviser to the Chief of Air Force. This role involves developing initiatives, policies and programs that directly support the attraction, recruitment and retention of women into Air Force. One of the most exciting programs our team orchestrates is “Flight Camp for Young Women” where we provide opportunities for talented girls to experience what a career is like in the Air Force.
2. Squadron Leader Amanda Gosling: I am an Aerospace Engineer -Aeronautical. I left school in Year 12 and studied engineering at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). I was posted to RAAF Amberley to work with the F-111s. My work was extremely interesting and intensive designing structural repairs for the aircraft. I was then posted to RAAF Richmond to support C-130 Hercules operations where I had the exciting opportunity to deploy on Operation Slipper as an officer in charge of maintenance looking after our C-130s for several months. It’s hard work, really hard work but it was great just to see the team come together and do a really good job. My job as an engineer is really about making sure that our platforms are going to be safe to continue flying, that they’re ready on time for their missions and that they’re well maintained. My current role in Defence Force Recruiting is focused on women in Air Force; on promoting the opportunities that are available within the Air Force to young women who may never have considered a career in Defence.
3. Flight Lieutenant Sarah Jane Leech: I graduated from pilots course in 2002 and was posted to fly the mighty C-130J Hercules. I had the fantastic opportunity of flying all over Australia and around the world supporting several deployments and countless operations. I took a break from flying over the past few years to have a family and between children was offered the opportunity to be an instructor teaching aviation theory at Number 2 Flying Training School. I’m now a member of the Air Force Gender Programs team. I believe the work we do directly contributes to Air Force capability by attracting more talented women to our organisation whilst retaining experienced women in the Air Force. I’ll be heading back to flying operations in May to fly the CL604 Challenger, a jet for VIPs, heads of state and dignitaries.
4. Pilot Officer Katherine Innes. I finished high school at the end of 2011 at Canberra Girls’ Grammar. My dad is in the Air Force and he has been a big part me wanting to join the Air Force. It was my decision to go to ADFA after Year 12. I started off doing a Bachelor of Technology in Aviation but six months into the degree I changed over to a Bachelor of Business, which I really loved. I had time to do all the sport I wanted and to experience ADFA to its fullest. I was even in a musical which was great! I graduated ADFA in 2014 and I’m now on my interim posting in Gender Programs. And if my awesome experiences at ADFA are anything to go by, I am very, very excited to start the next phase of my training.
5. Officer Cadet Larissa Stephens: I graduated high school in 2009 and worked as a civilian pilot and flying instructor. I came to the realisation that I really wanted to be in the Air Force. I joined up as a Direct Entry Officer and went through Officer Training School (OTS). I had a great time at OTS and met some wonderful people. I’m half way through my next stage of training in the military. It’s been challenging and great fun and I have learned some amazing things about my own capabilities. I’m currently on an interim posting at 33 Squadron with the KC-30s until I start my final stage of training. I’m really, really excited!
6. Officer Cadet Hayley Grieve: I’m 25 years old and I graduated high school in 2005. After high school I completed a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in French at University of Queensland. I realised that Air Force was what I wanted and so I did everything in my power to get through the selection process. I was successful in my application and went through OTS with Larissa. The following stage of our training was very intense and challenging but incredibly rewarding. I am also on an interim posting at 36 Squadron with the C-17s and will start my final stage of training with Larissa next month.
ADM: Two of you came from a commercial pilot background, general aviation? Why go RAAF?
Grieve: I was particularly interested in RAAF because I wanted the opportunity to work in an organisation with the latest technology and the Air Force definitely has that.
Stephens: I like the idea of representing your country because that’s what you’re doing when you put on this uniform every day. I like the comradeship that I have in the Defence Force, the places you get to go and the fact that you get to do it all with some very cool equipment.
ADM: The RAAF probably of all three services has the best retention rate for ladies. What was it that attracted you to the RAAF rather than the other services?
Stephens: I like the RAAF values, they really appeal to me. I felt that my values align with RAAF and it would be a better fit for me.
Innes: For me there is a bit of family history obviously and that was a big influence in my life. However, being in the RAAF now for three years, I realised that Air Force is at the forefront of new technology. They always have the latest platforms and that’s the really attractive aspect for me.
ADM: What do you see as the big strategic issues facing RAAF at the moment in terms of their recruitment and retention? What could the RAAF do to make your life easier, better, happier?
Leech: I think one of the biggest strategic issues that we face is in the area of recruitment. We’ve got an ageing population and we are going to be competing with other organisations that are also trying to recruit the talent that we are trying to recruit. We are also operating in a non-traditional employment environment so we’ve been shaping policy and employment procedures within Air Force to actively attract talented women to make them realise that we are an employer of choice.
Some of the great benefits of the Air Force are job security and no pay gap. When it comes to job security I know I have it for as long as I wish to remain in the Air Force. I’ve been to women’s conferences where often the issue is raised regarding gender pay gap. Women are encouraged at these conferences to negotiate and be strong as they often undersell themselves. In the Air Force I am paid based on my rank and qualifications and I don’t have to negotiate my pay; my pay is equal to the man of same rank and qualifications next to me. That’s a big draw card.
Kennealy: What SJ said is perfect, it is really about Air Force continuing to identify and mitigate barriers that impact on our ability to attract and retain the best talent to our organisation.
ADM: In your experience SJ, having had children through the organisation, how do you map your career pathway? Do you meet all those performance gates because you have to take time off and do the parent thing?
Leech: Well I think the Air Force actually recognises the value of me as a mother as well. I bring something different. We talk about diversity and the value that it brings to an organisation and Air Force recognises that diversity is a key to capability. Sure I haven’t done that posting that might have enhanced my career in a particular area, but as a mother I have developed another different set of skills.
I can time manage to the nth degree. I’ve come away this week to Avalon and left my family at home: I’ve had to organise meals, drop offs, babysitters, next-door-neighbours to come and help out with bath time with the kids, my children’s routine, my husband’s routine! And I’m now sitting here quite comfortably focusing on my job because I’m prepared. I’m a very good organizer.
From a career pathway point of view Air Force recognises that I can add value to the organisation with my different skill set and different way of thinking and supports me in mapping out my future career. I am going back to fly at 34SQN in May with the ability to work flexibly and I feel that this reinforces the Air Force's commitment to trying to retain and progress women in non traditional roles without necessarily having to compromise their career.
ADM: Amanda, with a technical background, particularly in aviation, you’ve got your pick of jobs. Why stay in RAAF?
Gosling: The choice for me between being part of the services or being part of a civilian organisation was really the opportunities that the Air Force gave me to help other people. The job that I do has a real meaning and the pride that I get in putting my uniform on every day, getting to walk around in this uniform that so many other people have worn before me. I earned the right to wear this uniform and that I get to do a job which has a sense of purpose.
ADM: Where do you each want to be in five years and how are you going to get there?
Kennealy: Well I’d like to be doing the job that I’m doing; I love it. It’s a fantastic job. It’s a challenging job but equally rewarding job. I’d like to follow through with the work that our team has started and see the results.
Innes: I just want to be posted to RAAF Amberley enjoying the squadron life and operating some of the Air Force’s front line technology. And I would love to care for one of the Air Force puppies on my weekends off!
Leech: In five years time I’d like to be completing my tour as a flight commander at a flying squadron and looking to attend staff college; preparing for future command of a flying squadron. I want to be a commanding officer.
Where? Fortunately because I’m Air Mobility Group I’m in a position where we have a lot of different air frames. So it really depends at the time where I can best be utilised, but going down to 34 Squadron and having a previous stint at 37 Squadron opens up avenues into those two squadrons and possibly even further afield. My husband is in the Army and therefore I expect Canberra would be the most suitable at some stage for us. And obviously trying to balance that as much as possible with my kids because they are my number one. Perhaps I could even take Wing Commander Kennealy’s job down track!
This article first appeared in Australian Defence Magazine VOL.23 No.4, April 2015