Fed: Defence overwhelmed with response to new gap year

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2007
Fed: Defence overwhelmed with response to new gap year

The defence department's been overwhelmed with the response to its gap year recruitment
scheme .. receiving more than 30 thousand website hits in the 13 days since the program
was launched.

Already 537 young people have signed on .. almost filling the 700 positions available this year.

Brigadier SIMON GOULD .. the director-general of defence recruiting .. has acknowledged
many of those interested in a gap year experience will have to be rejected.

But he says they'll try to place them elsewhere .. or those who miss the cut could
try again next year .. when place numbers will increase to a thousand.

The program allows young school leavers to spend a year in the Australian Defence Force
.. rather than the minimum 4-6 years for those signing on for full-time service.

AAP RTV mb/sb/wf/bart

KEYWORD: RECRUIT (CANBERRA)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.