When Dave left the Army after 14 years, he had led soldiers on exercise and on deployment, managed stores worth millions of dollars, and planned complex logistics. In his first civilian job interview, he was asked what qualifications he held. He had a driver's licence and a first aid certificate.
Dave's experience is common. Many people leaving the Australian Defence Force have skills that civilian employers value, but the way those skills are described in the military does not always line up with civilian job ads or qualifications. Recognition of Prior Learning can help close that gap.
Starting with what he already had
Dave's first step was to find out what was already on record. Some ADF training is nationally recognised, so a few of his military courses had led to statements of attainment. He checked his USI transcript, knowing that older or Defence training might not appear on it. More useful was the PMKeyS service history report he had saved before discharge, which listed his postings, positions, courses and the units of competency he had completed. He also asked his former Service Training Command to confirm that every qualification and unit he was eligible for had actually been issued. Two units from a logistics course matched units in the qualification he was interested in, which meant they could be applied through Credit Transfer rather than assessed again.
For the rest, he would need RPL.
Choosing a qualification that fitted
Dave was by then working as a warehouse operations supervisor. With help from an RTO's RPL adviser, he looked at the Diploma of Leadership and Management (BSB50420). Before enrolling, he read the core units on training.gov.au and compared them with what he had actually done.
Leading teams, managing performance and planning operations were familiar. Managing budgets and writing formal business plans, less so. The adviser was upfront that some units might need more evidence or gap training.
Translating military evidence
The hardest part was explaining his experience in civilian terms. Dave found these helped most:
- His PMKeyS service history report: it confirmed his postings, positions and completed training in one place.
- Performance appraisal reports (PARs): his last two PARs described his responsibilities and how he was rated against them.
- A statement of service and position descriptions: these showed his rank, roles and the size of the teams he led.
- Plans and orders he had written: with anything classified or sensitive removed. Where he could not share a document at all, he described it in the competency conversation instead.
- A reference from his former officer commanding: who confirmed the scope of his responsibilities.
- Recent evidence from his civilian job: rosters, a staff training plan and a workplace improvement proposal.
The assessor said the mix of military and recent civilian evidence was valuable. It showed both depth of experience and that his skills were current in a civilian workplace.
The competency conversation
Dave was nervous about the competency conversation, but it felt more like a structured discussion than a test. The assessor asked him to talk through how he handled an underperforming team member, how he planned a stores move, and how he would manage a budget overrun. Where his answers used military language, the assessor asked him to explain what he meant.
The outcome
Most of Dave's units were assessed as competent through RPL. For one finance unit, his evidence was not sufficient, so he completed a short block of gap training and a workplace project on budgeting. Overall it took him around four months, fitting the work around his job.
What Dave would tell other veterans
- If you are still serving, keep a copy of your PMKeyS service history report and your last two PARs before you leave.
- Contact your Service Training Command before you transition to check that every qualification and unit you are eligible for has been issued.
- Check your USI transcript too, but do not rely on it alone. Defence training does not always appear on it.
- Defence's ADF Transition and Civil Recognition team can give advice on civil recognition before or after you transition.
- Do not assume military language will be understood. Be ready to explain it.
- Be cautious of anyone promising a qualification without a proper assessment.
- Ask the RTO how it handles sensitive or classified material before you submit anything.
Veterans and their families can also find transition support through the Department of Veterans' Affairs and ADF transition services. For more on choosing a provider, see our guide to finding a quality RPL provider.