With a spouse in the ADF, it can be difficult to keep career momentum going due to the constant relocation every time they get a new posting. I’ve seen a lot of people have to start from the bottom every couple of years because of the continuous moving around.
However, working for Konekt Workcare (part of the APM Group) has meant I’ve been able to keep progressing, regardless of where I need to go for my partner’s job. It’s such a big company with opportunities all over Australia, and they have a great understanding of veteran life thanks to the close work they did in their past as a rehabilitation provider for the ADF. They see your ability to relocate and share your knowledge within the company as a great asset.
My flexible role as occupational therapist and managing consultant
I currently work in our West Perth branch, within the rehabilitation team for insurance, corporate and government organisations. Right now, I’m supporting income protection members with their post-disability rehabilitation and recovery. I also do pre-employment medical sign-off assessment reports and offer Occupational Therapy student supervision.
Moving from place to place with Konekt has been great. I’ve met amazing new team members and developed true friendships everywhere. In my current role, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to a lot of regional and remote areas of Western Australia, such as Broome, Port Hedland and Jurien Bay.
Konekt’s flexibility and understanding of what an ADF member does has enabled me to easily take on new roles across the company whenever my husband gets reposted. The company used to be an ADF base rehabilitation provider, so we have branches in nearly all of the locations where the ADF has a base.
We’re also encouraged to manage our own calendars and work remotely as needed. Many of us with partners in the ADF are also primary caregivers at home, so it really allows us to balance work with our home lives and responsibilities. And the best part is, staying with the same company means you don’t lose out on any long service entitlements, annual leave or career progression.
Embrace the career challenge!
It is a big challenge to relocate from a city in which you have great contacts and networks, but by learning about new people, new customer requirements, demands and challenges, I’ve grown as an allied health provider and rehabilitation consultant.
Even if you’re not forced to move through circumstances, I would encourage anyone thinking about a new region or city to reach out to the team at Konekt to see what is available.
It’s a great experience, and you can always relocate back if it’s not the right fit for you. And you never know – you may really love it there and wish you moved sooner, like I did when I ended up moving to Perth!
If you have a partner in the ADF and might be interested in joining Konekt, you can check out the latest opportunities on our website.
