Employment Training
Other Ranks (Non Technical)
Like all General Entry sailors, Cryptologic Linguist sailors begin their careers at HMAS CERBERUS at Western Port in Victoria to undergo 11 weeks of common basic training. Here they are trained in all the basic skills that sailors need to prepare themselves for a career at sea and ashore.
Once basic training is completed, CTL sailors move to RAAF Base Williams located in Melbourne's outer western suburb of Laverton. RAAF Williams is where the Australian Defence Force School of Languages is located, and it is here CTL sailors undergo 22 weeks of primary skills training.
They are taught a South East Asian language course which is tailored to prepare CTL sailors for both operations at sea and ashore. This language training is quite unlike courses run at universities. It is more intensive and tightly focussed on the skills CTL sailors will need for their day-to-day employment.
CTL sailors then commence a 35 week course to teach them their operator skills. This is conducted at the Electronic Warfare Wing of Defence Force School of Signals at Cabarlah, just north of Toowoomba in Queensland. It is here that CTL sailors learn Applied Military language skills. Other subjects taught include computer operating skills, communications techniques and security procedures.
What happens after CTL training is completed?
As soon as they are qualified, CTL sailors usually begin by applying their skills at a shore-based facility located in Canberra. Here they will consolidate their skills before posting to sea. Newly qualified sailors can expect to remain ashore in Canberra for about 12 months before they begin working on a warship at sea.
What about prospects for further language training for CTL sailors?
After approximately four years service and on completion of a CTL sailor's first sea posting the sailor can expect to undergo further Language training. This training can be a bridging course of 22 weeks to advance the skills of the CTL sailors primary language, or an intensive 46 week language course which can also be the primary language or a second Asian or Pacific language.
There are also many opportunities throughout a CTL's career to undertake short language courses for Asian and Pacific languages and dialects.