For 19 year old Trae Cook from Campbelltown, New South Wales, a unique training course run by the Australian Defence Force has opened the door to a new career.

He has just graduated from the ADF’s Indigenous Pre-Recruitment Course (IPRC) and has been offered a job as a Rifleman in the Australian Army.

The six week course offers young people from Indigenous backgrounds the chance to experience military life in an environment that builds skills and self-confidence while respecting Indigenous culture.

“The course brings the two cultures together – military culture and Indigenous culture,” said Trae.

“On this course I also discovered a new family. I had my Defence brothers and sisters on the course and I’ve got my own family back home.”

The IPRC focuses on five core training modules; Indigenous and military culture; academic advancement; fitness and life skills; introduction to military training; and job preparation and interview skills.

Trae graduated from the course in February this year in Adelaide, where it was supported by the 9th Brigade of the Australian Army.

For Trae, the course meant six weeks away from home immersed in a range of experiences including field training, live firing exercises and daily life in a barracks setting.  

At the start, Trae found some parts of the routine challenging – it took time to get used to the early mornings.

“Now, I don’t mind waking up early. It’s worth it, you’ve got the whole day ahead of you,” he said.

The Senior Indigenous Mentor of the course, Warrant Officer Class One Colin Watego, is a Bundjalung and Torres Strait Island man who has served in the ADF for 40 years.

He said the course offers high-quality training to young Indigenous Australians from a range of cultural backgrounds.

“The Indigenous Pre-Recruitment Course offers unique opportunities for personal and professional development that participants will take with them into a career in the Australian Defence Force or back to their local communities,” he said.

“The ADF values and supports young Indigenous people and I am proud to be part of the leadership team running this course.”

For Trae, the course has offered him new skills that he hopes to use in his new career.

“I came here to build a future for myself,” he said. “It’s changed my life coming here. I hope I’ve made my family and my community proud.”