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Plant Operators may be employed at various units and bases within Australia, such as:
<ul>
<li> RAAF Base Townsville, QLD</li>
<li> RAAF Base Richmond, NSW</li>
<li> Delamere Air Weapons Range, NT</li>
<li> Evans Head Air Weapons Range, NSW</li>
</ul>
Plant Operator Corporals can also be employed at the School of Military Engineering (SME) as an instructor at Holsworthy Barracks, NSW.

You will be paid while you train, and on completion of your Initial Military Training and Employment Training, you’ll earn at least:

Training

Your starting salary

Trained

Your salary once trained

In the Air Force you'll get paid a good salary from day one regardless of your age, experience or qualifications; and your pay increases as you progress through training. In addition to your salary you'll receive a variety of allowances, extra pay for relevant qualifications – plus 16.4% superannuation, a far higher rate than you're likely to find in the civilian world.

General Entry: Non-Technical

<div class="p">Additional Employment Training</div>

There are a number of specialist Airfield Engineering courses that will provide you with further training across a variety of subjects to provide skill sets in order to meet operational requirements. As a Plant Operator, you will also be required to undertake core training courses required for your career progression.

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Plant Operators provide civil/earthwork construction support to the Air Force's infrastructure. Your role involves the operation of various items of heavy earth moving equipment (dozer, excavator, grader, dump truck, etc.) in the construction and maintenance of pavements and site excavations, and also in emergency airfield damage repair and recovery activities. You may be required to work shifts or participate in deployed operations with the Army in remote areas located within or external to Australia.

As a Plant Operator, your duties concentrate on deployed conditions both within Australia and overseas. These roles are performed regularly on deployments to temporary and permanent airfields in support of expeditionary air operations. Such activities could also be undertaken at any of the major Air Force bases and at isolated temporary Air Force airfields or construction sites within Australia. 

You will receive training in general and specialist heavy vehicle and plant operation and you are required to support other trades (Plumber, Carpenter, Electrician) in the performance of their duties. You will also participate regularly in ground defence exercises and are required to provide temporary construction services. Working conditions vary from an office environment to the field.

You will be trained to perform your role through a combination of on the job training and various intensive courses. Plant Operators are able to progress to the rank of Corporal and then apply to become Works Supervisors where they can then follow a career path up to Warrant Officer.

Apply your trade skills operating a variety of earth moving equipment to help construct, repair and refurbish airfields, roads and broad horizontal construction tasks for expeditionary operations on air bases and temporary airfields in Australia and overseas.

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Plant Operator

Find out what it’s like

Benefits you won't see anywhere else

You’ll enjoy the following:

Great salary from day one, which increases with experience

Generous superannuation of 16.4% – a huge 4.9% over the Australian standard

Help to buy a home, a subsidised home loan or rent allowance

Free medical and dental for you, and subsidised healthcare for you and your family

Fully paid training

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