Best pathway to becoming an AFP agent

[Special At Specialist]

I have wanted to become an AFP (Australian Federal Police) agent/officer for a long time and I don't think I will ever change my mind on that, but what I'm not sure about is how to get there; what pathway to take.

My original plan was to study a Bachelor of Arts at UoM (University of Melbourne), majoring in Criminology, followed by a master's degree in either Criminology or Counter-Terrorism Studies. I would then apply for the AFP and if I'm not accepted at first, I would apply for either Victoria Police or the army and get a few years experience before re-applying.

There are 3 main problems with that which are causing me to reconsider my future:
1. I might not get into the AFP until my late 20's / early 30's, which I think is a bit late to be only just starting a career
2. I don't know just how far a Criminology or Counter-Terrorism degree will get me. Would "life experience" be held in higher regard than a completely theoretical degree?
3. It's going to be financially difficult to survive 5 years at UoM, given the fact that I will only have about 10k in the bank when I start, I will have nowhere to live (because I am moving out next year) and my parents are too poor to be of any assistance to me.

I was thinking of joining the army next year and getting a degree with them, which would solve at least the last 2 problems that I just listed, but I'm not sure just how reputable and flexible the degrees at the Defence University in Canberra are. There is also no guarantee that I will even be accepted into the army so soon, since I am only about average in fitness and possess only a few months of job experience. Another option is to do 1st year at UoM and then complete the rest of my degree at the Defence University, which would sort of allow me to do both.

Ultimately, I just want to get into the AFP as soon as possible. Would the Defence University be a good option for me? Are there any other pathways that could help on my future resume? Please give me advice!

[brenden]

I'm sure the Army would accept you. The entry requirements really aren't difficult, even if you couldn't do them now it would tae you four weeks at a maximum to get up to the standard. The Army to me seems a logical way for you. It sorts out the money issue, the degree issue, any fitness hurdles that could be had by the AFP, the life experience hurdle thing, you'll be weapons trained. I don't know this from any source at all, but wouldn't it sort of make sense that the AFP would like degrees from Defence?
The Army also has options that are close to the AFP. You could be a military police officer, a Commando, work in border security (I'm not talking abotu asylum seekers, I know that there are specialised teams in the Northern Territory. Lots of Indigenous in those units, also).

You could also join the police force and study while you do that? You could study part-time, even. Sorts out the above issues also, and 3-6 years in the police force as well as a theoretical degree would surely look great to the AFP.

[spectroscopy]

definetly either go to UNSW@ADFA or get a defence university sponsorship, then apply for a role as intelligence officer or something similiar
they guarantee you a job after your degree and PAY for your degree AND give you a salary up to 44k a year whilst studying

[Planck's constant]

http://www.afp.gov.au/jobs/minimum-requirements.aspx

[Special At Specialist]

Thanks for the replies Brendinkles, your answer was pretty helpful. I'll have to look up specific options in the army. I'm not sure if I have enough "life experience" to get into the Victoria Police, but at the end of the year, I will apply there just as I am applying for university and see what happens.

http://www.afp.gov.au/jobs/minimum-requirements.aspx

Most of those minimum requirements are pretty vague and general, but I pass all of them except for the "no provisional restrictions (P plates)" one. At least the Victoria Police accepts P platers, so long as they passed their test in a manual car (which I did).

definetly either go to UNSW@ADFA or get a defence university sponsorship, then apply for a role as intelligence officer or something similiar
they guarantee you a job after your degree and PAY for your degree AND give you a salary up to 44k a year whilst studying

Wow, that's more than I'm earning now and I am working full-time with only 1 VCE subject. I will definitely look into that!

[enwiabe]

I recommend watching Survivor every week this season and taking careful notes from Phillip "The Specialist" Sheppard, special agent extraordinaire.

In all seriousness, be sure that this is what you want for your life. The Army is a huge commitment and is extremely demanding. I'd do some more research into people's experiences and see if it's really for you.

[brenden]

Yeah I reckon. I was going to join the army a while ago (mostly so I could feel okay about being a failure at school) and if you're an officer, you can't pour your own fucking apple juice at breakfast. You have to ask the stewardess to pour your apple juice for you. Fuck that.

[Special At Specialist]

I recommend watching Survivor every week this season and taking careful notes from Phillip "The Specialist" Sheppard, special agent extraordinaire.

I'm not sure about that... I've been on Youtube and watched all of season 1 of "AFP Australian Federal Police", which I think is probably a lot more realistic than "Survivor", and that was a pretty good show, though I hardly ever watch TV.

In all seriousness, be sure that this is what you want for your life. The Army is a huge commitment and is extremely demanding. I'd do some more research into people's experiences and see if it's really for you.

Not trying to brag, but I'm a pretty brave person and I have a high pain threshold. I know that a lot of people are scared of joining the army because they could be shot, seriously injured or killed, but the fear of that isn't going to hold me back at all. I'm not the sort of person who would get nightmares after being in a war, unlike many other people. I am seriously up for this challenge, whatever it entails.

Also, I've been doing karate for 7 years and I am almost a black belt. I doubt that military training can be much more intense or more disciplined than what I go through in martial arts training, because people take karate pretty seriously and if you can't stare straight forward without moving, twitching, scratching or wiping the sweat off your face, then you get yelled at and made to do pushups, which sounds almost identical to what I've heard about military training.

Yeah I reckon. I was going to join the army a while ago (mostly so I could feel okay about being a failure at school) and if you're an officer, you can't pour your own fucking apple juice at breakfast. You have to ask the stewardess to pour your apple juice for you. Fuck that.

How is that a bad thing? That's just a sign of respect for those who have been in the army for a long time.

[Professor Polonsky]

I'd have a read of their FAQ. They have a graduate program which seems interesting.

The minimum education requirement is Year 12 certificate (or equivalent) or Year 10 with a trade certificate or similar experience. Certificate IV will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. Tertiary qualifications are desirable but not essential.

Do I need to have experience in state policing, paramilitary or military services to join the AFP?
The AFP does recognise experience in other police services, and candidates with such experience may be eligible for entry under the lateral transfer recruit program. However, the AFP equally values people with varied life experiences, including many who have tertiary qualifications.

I'm not the sort of person who would get nightmares after being in a war, unlike many other people.

I'm just saying... You ain't seen war till you've seen war. I haven't. I'm pretty familiar with people who have. I'm not sure you can predict with certainty how you'll react to it.

[spectroscopy]

yeah it is a huge commitment, and the lifestyle doesnt suit many people, but at adfa you can leave before the end of your second year without having to join the army, if you wait longer than that youre stuck for the imps (initial minimum period of service)
and im pretty sure that with grunt training you can leave before or at the 90 day mark, any time after that youre stuck with the imps
and if you take the scholarship money (the 35-40k a year) i think you have to pay it back, im not sure,
but yeah there are ways out once youre in, and the process to even get started takes ages (medicals, YOU sessions, etc.)
you could do a grunt job with a 1 year imps (things like office admin, truck driver, cant think of any others off the top of my head), with them you do the basic training at kapooka, then you only have to do 1 year of service then you can leave (or stay)
salary for a private is somewhere around 44k last time i checked

I'm just saying... You ain't seen war till you've seen war. I haven't. I'm pretty familiar with people who have. I'm not sure you can predict with certainty how you'll react to it.

100% agree, you cant go in expecting to be fully oblivious to everything, in my country of background you have to join the military at 18 or 20 or something, and alot of the people who see conflict come back completely changed, where as some arent so affected, you dont know how youl react until youre in the situation,

[brenden]

It's a bad thing that if I want to pour my own fucking juice, I'm not allowed to. "You are not permitted to pour yourself a drink" just doesn't sit well with me.

[#1procrastinator]

Yeah I reckon. I was going to join the army a while ago (mostly so I could feel okay about being a failure at school) and if you're an officer, you can't pour your own fucking apple juice at breakfast. You have to ask the stewardess to pour your apple juice for you. Fuck that.

Really? Where'd you get that?

I'm not sure about that... I've been on Youtube and watched all of season 1 of "AFP Australian Federal Police", which I think is probably a lot more realistic than "Survivor", and that was a pretty good show, though I hardly ever watch TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnjmZCmZbOo

Not trying to brag, but I'm a pretty brave person and I have a high pain threshold. I know that a lot of people are scared of joining the army because they could be shot, seriously injured or killed, but the fear of that isn't going to hold me back at all.

I assume you know getting shot or blown up in real life isn't like what you see in movies right? Have you seen some of the shit on those gore sites? Some real nasty ass shit man. Actually I haven't gone there myself but just the footage that's made it onto YouTube is enough for me (like the one of the kid with his damn jaw blown off)

I'm not the sort of person who would get nightmares after being in a war, unlike many other people. I am seriously up for this challenge, whatever it entails.

I'm sure there are many who thought that too before they enlisted. Just sayin' (doubters gonna doubt)

How is that a bad thing? That's just a sign of respect for those who have been in the army for a long time.

Yeah but if what Brendinkles is saying is true then they should respect you enough to let you pour your damn juice if you want to 

[spectroscopy]

my hoemgroup teacher last year left the school recently because he got a job at the AFP !  i think they look for more worldly sort of people, he had a bachelors degree in frnech and spanish and a dip lang in italian, had travelled extensively throughout the world, did acting breadth at uni and has been in a few short films and tv shows, and then taught for a little while, which basically makes him the perfect spy (even though thats asios job not the afps), but yeah, just thought id let you know, what he did, and ive heard the same thing across the board for jobs like afp, firefighters, etc. GET LIFE EXPERIENCE ! haha

[brenden]

Really? Where'd you get that?

A girl I got really close with through Year 12 spent the later half of her high-school striving for a position in the Navy -> Maritime Warfare Officer. A bit ago she got 24 hour leave and a few of us went to dinner to catch up and she was just telling us about the way they had to eat. No elbows on the table -> chicken wing elbows, napkin a particular way on your body, different pieces of cutlery for different meals... Which is all fine (I was taught that as a kid just as good manners) but yeah - she said they were not allowed to pour their own juice at breakfast; they had to ask a stewardess specifically to pour them more juice. I'm all for discipline and stuff but, I don't think I could let them crush my free will enough that I didn't want to pour my own juice.

[spectroscopy]

A girl I got really close with through Year 12 spent the later half of her high-school striving for a position in the Navy -> Maritime Warfare Officer. A bit ago she got 24 hour leave and a few of us went to dinner to catch up and she was just telling us about the way they had to eat. No elbows on the table -> chicken wing elbows, napkin a particular way on your body, different pieces of cutlery for different meals... Which is all fine (I was taught that as a kid just as good manners) but yeah - she said they were not allowed to pour their own juice at breakfast; they had to ask a stewardess specifically to pour them more juice. I'm all for discipline and stuff but, I don't think I could let them crush my free will enough that I didn't want to pour my own juice.

Does she enjoy the job though? it would be hard spending a long time at sea