Navy People: High Seas for Ashleigh

29 April 2010

Clare’s Ashleigh Edwards is having a Gap Year with a difference. She has joined the Navy and is seeing the world.

But her ship, HMAS Arunta, will be spending a few days in Adelaide so she’ll soon be able to catch up with her mum Karin.

The sporty Clare High School graduate played every sport under the sun, including National Touch Football for 4 years with Crusaders, but now she’s in a team with 170 shipmates aboard one of the Navy’s newest warships.

“The gap year basically involves getting as much work experience as possible,” said Ashleigh. “It makes it easier to decide what job you want, if you join up after the Gap year is finished.”

“This has been the best few months of my life,” she said. “It’s definitely the people that make this job. I’ve made friends that I’ll keep in touch with for years to come.

“I’ve been lucky enough to travel to New Zealand and all around Australia and I love the hands-on work. Everyone turns into your family. It feels more like a never-ending school camp than a job. Plus we get paid a really good wage just to try it out.”

"After I’ve finished my Gap year, I don’t want a boring desk job after doing all this. I love being around water so maybe something adventurous and fun to do with all that."

“But it would be good to experience the patrol boats up in Darwin or Cairns [before my Gap Year ends]. There’s still a lot more for me to learn.”