Defence work experience inspires student to fulfil Navy dream

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Article by Kellee Rollston-Francis

Former Patrician Brothers' College student Kane Kasemchainan’s journey to the Royal Australian Navy started with a placement in the Defence Work Experience Program (DWEP).

DWEP is a national program providing opportunities for students to experience a work placement in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Australian Public Service (APS). Up to 3000 students each year participate in the program, experiencing a wide variety of trades, technical disciplines, specialist military roles, support roles, and traditional professions that the ADF and APS have to offer.

A budding engineer at heart, Kane was motivated to find out what opportunities were on offer
within the Department of Defence. He enrolled in a four-day Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) DWEP placement held at RAAF Base Richmond in March 2018.

“It was the best thing that I have ever done,” Kane said.

The program provided a comprehensive insight into the RAAF, and into the opportunities of an ADF career that are not available in everyday life. Kane finished his placement in the RAAF motivated and prepared to pursue his dream of joining the Royal Australian Navy.

Kane attended a Navy Careers Day in August 2018, and committed himself to joining the Navy.

As someone with no prior experience of the ADF, Kane said his experience with DWEP really opened his eyes to the possibilities of an ADF career.

Kane is now a Commissioned Officer in the Navy, and is currently undertaking basic training at HMAS Creswell in Jervis Bay, until his graduation in June. He will then complete six months of training with the Navy, before joining the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in 2021 to study a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering. Upon completion, he aims to become a Weapons Electrical Engineering Officer Submariner.