Publication:Navy Engineering Bulletin March 2006/JOLC - Expectations vs reality
BY LEUT ELISE BRIGDEN, RAN - WEEO RANTEWSS
JOLC STUDENTS PREPARING FOR SEA KAYAKING IN STUNNING JERVIS BAY AS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF ADVENTUROUS TRAINING EXERCISE.
Thus I was surprised to find that quite a number of things have changed since the JOLC I had heard about. For one thing, following the rationalization of the Officers' Leadership, Management and Professional Development (LMPD) continuum, JOLC is down to five weeks. This was the first step of the changes; the second was making it relevant to Junior Officers. In fact, the L in JOLC is a misnomer, really; while there is a leadership component to the course, it is set in the context of the primary focus of the course: how to be a Divisional Officer. Believe it or not, there is a how-tobe-a-DO course these days. How many people wish they had done that before they were set loose on real sailors?
How can you teach someone to be a DO? Some people just have the knack to do it well, and there is no substitute for experience. We can't magically create the people skills or experience, but a junior officer who has been given the tools and a little bit of practice will have a start on their peers who haven't. JOLC now gives officers the basic tools to help manage sailors' careers and look after their welfare.
Some of the golden oldies are still there: service writing - oh joy - but in doing the exercises, the students also learn how to assist a sailor who wants to change category, or needs referral to an ADPA, or wishes to redress a grievance. One of my exercises even included responding as OOD to an admonitory minute from the Maritime Commander, accompanied by a bona-fide boning-in from a PWO...
And where would such a course be without gems like Equity and Diversity for Supervisors or OH&S? But to make the course diverse and well-rounded, there are also presentations (by the students) on historical leaders and strategic studies (a taste of courses to come).
Once upon a time JOLC was included as a part of WEAC and MEAC, tagged on at the end of the six-month course. Unfortunately, this has been discarded and junior officers are expected to do it as a part of their AWEEO/AMEO time. This can be difficult to achieve, as in my case: by the time I did JOLC in 2005, I was back ashore and had been working as a DO with my own division for over 12 months. By the end of the course, I was well and truly reminded of how many mistakes I'd made in those 12 months. I believe quite strongly that JOLC should be conducted as a part of WEAC and MEAC, as it once was. After all, most AWEEOs and AMEOs have - at the very least - assistant DO duties.
I also think that the course should be renamed for what it is: the Junior Divisional Officers Course (or words to that effect). This makes both students and their supervisors aware of what it's about and why it is relevant for junior officers to complete.
Lastly, I recommend the course to junior engineers - with an open mind, there is a great deal you can learn which will make your job MUCH easier down the track. An added bonus for the engineering community is that JOLC is currently conducted by two crusty old engineers, LCDR Mark Burton and LEUT Duane Unwin. Perhaps this is the real secret behind the vast improvement to the program!
Note: JOLC is conducted by the Management and Strategic Studies Faculty at TA-ITLM (HMAS CRESWELL). Enrolment is by completion of PT115 and forwarding it to CIO (MSSF), TA-ITLM - HMAS CRESWELL or by fax to (02) 4429 7811. Further details can be obtained by contacting LCDR Mark Burton on (02) 4429 7912 or E-mail: mark.burton4@defence. gov.au. Successful completion of JOLC also gives RAN Officers the following civilian accreditation:
Diploma of Business (Frontline Management)
Diploma of Government (Management)
About the Author:
LEUT Elise Brigden joined the RAN in 1999. Somehow she survived four years of Electrical Engineering at ADFA and emerged with only minor scarring (the twitch hardly ever shows these days). After completing WEAC in 2003, she had an "up top" jolly in HMAS NORMAN prior to joining HMAS ANZAC for WECC completion. She is currently posted as the WEEO at the RAN Tactical Electronic Warfare Support Section (RANTEWSS), HMAS ALBATROSS trying to keep the spooks honest.
