Michael Patman is enjoying his on-the-job experience with Paul Gibbs and Systematiq.
As a company owned by ex-defence members, Systematiq has always had a strong emphasis on employing men and women who are transitioning out of the ADF by offering career pathways and opportunities to develop their skills in a commercial environment. We work with a number of industry organisations and non-profit groups to advertise roles, provide internships, and contractual arrangements to suit the individual.
The ADF allow 23 days for either training or on-the-job experience (OJE) to assist members in their transition out of defence. The Systematiq Work Experience Program provides an opportunity for ADF personnel by allowing them to gain experience in our business and giving us the chance to assess a person’s fit for the team. This initiative is a smart way to ‘try before you buy’ for both parties involved and has the potential to add value by saving time and money in HR processes.
Our newest recruit, Michael Patman is a Fitter and Turner by trade with 32 years’ experience in maintenance within Defence and will be transitioning in January 2023.
Over the next two months, Michael Patman will be attending Systematiq for on-the-job experience as part of our Work Experience Program. Our Queensland Manager Paul Gibbs has offered his valuable time to host Michael in our newly opened Brisbane office. From the few weeks he has already been at Systematiq he has acknowledged the company’s welcoming culture and is starting to get to know the Queensland team.
“Knowing a few members of the Systematiq team encourages me to feel comfortable to ask the silly questions without fear of feeling overwhelmed or judged,” Michael commented.
Michael is yet to decide on what civilian work interests him and is enjoying the opportunity to explore his options. Michael is just under halfway with his OJE and to date he has been exposed to Integrated Logistics (ILS) document writing to conform with the DID, some Business Development activity during the Land Forces Conference 22 and is learning about the ASDEFCON suite of tender documents to support project procurement and delivery into defence.
Management and Engineering. He has been impressed by the level of detail in the work he has been involved with at Systematiq: “You rarely see the effort that goes into defence project delivery as an end user. The process from start to finish is a real eye opener for me and opened my thinking to what the process involves.”
Paul Gibbs has been impressed by Michael’s attitude to his work at Systematiq: “Michael has been willing to jump in and give everything a go. He’s keen to learn and has fitted in well with the team here. I think he’s found the experience valuable so far.”
Ex-defence personnel often don’t see their own skills and experience as being relevant and transferrable into civilian roles. However, their perspective and experience can be invaluable to understanding how to deliver successful projects for serving members.
While Michael doesn’t have direct Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) experience, he certainly knows the current capabilities in defence and how to employ them. He brings with him an end user point of view which is extremely valuable and sometimes overlooked by larger projects. This knowledge, together with his networks in defence is an attractive capability for Systematiq.
Michael commented on his experience: “At first I was hesitant as I haven’t had direct experience in CASG, but after a few sessions with our team, I now understand the end-to-end process and how Systematiq enhances and adds value to both sides of the defence contract process.”
We wish Michael all the best as he transitions from the ADF, and we are delighted to assist him as he identities his next career opportunity. This is just another example of how Systematiq adds value to the Australian Defence Industry.
By Paul Gibbs
