Finding employment after relocating: How Defence partner Trudi found her dream job

Being the partner of a serving Defence member can come with unique challenges. For Trudi Carter, one of those challenges was securing suitable – and enjoyable – employment after a relocation. 

Working as a teacher in New South Wales was a practical profession while raising three children, as her husband was serving in the Australian Army. But when her husband was posted to Enoggera and the family relocated to Brisbane in 2024, Trudi decided the time was right for a career change. 

“After 15 years as a teacher, I felt I had achieved all I wanted to in the profession. My husband’s posting to Brisbane gave me the opportunity to reassess my career direction, explore new opportunities and transition to a more fulfilling career path,” Trudi says. 

“I sent out so many applications and really put my heart into it. I had a lot of experience, but coming from a teaching background, I found it difficult to express my transferable skills in a way that resonated with employers outside education. This made the job search really challenging.” 

Turning to the RSL Employment Program 

After three months of job searching with no success, Trudi was feeling increasingly frustrated. Then she had a conversation with her neighbour. 

“We were lucky to have moved into a street with a lot of other Defence families and we became very close. My neighbour was also a Defence spouse and had received support through RSL Queensland, so while we were chatting at the letterbox one day, she said I should think about calling them,” Trudi says. 

“So, I rang RSL Queensland and they offered to help me with my resume and applications through the RSL Employment Program.” 

Trudi was quickly connected with Kath, a consultant who helped rework her resume, review her cover letters and provide guidance on applying for roles. 

“I took the advice on board, and I landed some short-term administrative work at a local high school,” Trudi says. 

A foot in the door 

Trudi was pleased to be working again and took on more short-term administration contracts within the education sector. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something more suitable must be out there. 

“The work that Kath did with me got my foot in the door. But I was well overqualified for it, so it was a bit of a knock to my confidence,” Trudi says. 

“And then I had another consultant at the RSL Employment Program, Jenna, who spent hours on the phone with me over several occasions. She always seemed to call just when I needed to speak with her. She explained that the short-term contracts were a great way to find out what I really enjoy and to build my skills so that I could be a contender when the right role came up. 

“That changed my perspective and strategy from looking for a permanent job to trialling different roles and building skills and systems experience. I then looked at roles for what they could teach me rather than judging them by their salary or title.” 

Trudi enjoyed being involved in project work, so Jenna suggested she undertake some study in project management and connected her with the TAFE Queensland Certificate IV in Project Management Practice. 

Trudi Carter with her husband and their daughters at his graduation from the Royal Military College in 2023. Their son is not pictured.

Trudi’s dream job 

In early 2025, Trudi’s husband was told of his upcoming posting to Canungra and the family started preparing to move to the Gold Coast. 

Having completed her undergraduate degree at Bond University in the 1990s and still feeling a sense of connection to the university, Trudi began checking its careers page for suitable roles. 

“I kept looking at the careers page for months, and then, two months before we moved, a job came up for a Learning and Teaching Coordinator,” Trudi says. 

“It ticked every box for me. I could continue working in an area where I had developed considerable experience, supporting learning and curriculum development, while taking on new challenges and opportunities for growth. The position was close to our new home, and the part-time arrangement gave me the flexibility to support my daughter’s transition to a new school. 

“It was my dream job!” 

Trudi prepared her application but decided at the last minute that the job was too important not to seek support from the RSL Employment Program again. 

“Just as I was writing an email to Jenna to ask her to review my application, she called me to check in on me. It was perfect timing!” Trudi says. 

“Jenna put me in touch with Jude, who knew how important this opportunity was to me, so she spent so much time perfecting my application and cover letter. And I got an interview! 

“Jude celebrated with me and then spent about an hour coaching me for the interview, running through questions they might ask and calming me down a little bit. She was amazing.” 

Talk to people who understand 

Trudi secured the Learning and Teaching Coordinator role at Bond University and has taken on casual work within other areas of the faculty as well, while continuing to study project management. 

“The personal growth I experienced throughout my journey with the RSL Employment Program has been invaluable. And now I pinch myself as I’m walking into work. I feel so lucky to work here.” 

Trudi encourages other Defence partners who need support finding a job, or are considering their next career move, to reach out to the RSL Employment Program. 

“It’s just a phone call and it doesn’t cost you anything to have that conversation,” Trudi says. 

“They gave me a lot of very professional guidance, and they understand us as Defence spouses – what our circumstances and needs are. It’s really good to speak to people who understand our unique challenges.”