Primary and secondary education

The Schools Pathways Program is designed to raise school students’ awareness of possible career opportunities and increase their knowledge of the defence industry and defence industry pathways, while encouraging student involvement and participation in STEM. This will increase the pool of young people with the knowledge and skills to pursue defence industry careers.

Investment – $5 million. Australian Government funded and delivered with South Australia and Western Australia.

Timing – 2023–24 to 2025–26.

Impact – Increasing the number of teachers confident in their ability to provide STEM career information will allow greater reach to students, enabling them to make informed career choices. Up to 15,000 students and 1,350 teachers are expected to benefit from this program over the period.

Delivery partners - Australian Department of Defence and the South Australian Department for Education

BAE Systems, in partnership with Lumination (a specialist Australian education technology company), provides primary school students with problem-solving and innovation challenges through the Beacon program.

The program expansion will improve student perception of STEM subjects and increase participation of women, First Nations students and those from low socio-economic status backgrounds.

Cost - $1.93 million over three years, 2024 to 2026. South Australian Government funded.

Timing – Scaling up from 2024.

Impact – Inspiring young people in years 4 to 8 to stay engaged in and pursue STEM subjects, plus weekly online professional learning sessions for teachers. Delivery into 80 schools by 2026, targeting around 12,000 students.

Delivery partners - BAE in partnership with Lumination

High school students from under-represented groups (low socio-economic status students and First Nations learners) can apply for scholarships to pursue STEM subjects at South Australian Certificate of Education Stage 1 and 2 levels.

The fund covers the cost of tutors, laptops, excursions or any other strategy that directly supports the student to achieve in their chosen STEM subjects and pathways.

Cost – $1.9 million. South Australian Government funded and delivered.

Timing – Annually from 2024.

Impact – Estimated 50 scholarships per year from 2024; 200 scholarships over four years targeting students in low socio-economic status groups.

Delivery partner - South Australian Department for Education

The initiative will invest in capital and facilities upgrades and equipment for the expansion of defence-relevant Flexible Industry Programs (FIPs) into an additional 20 South Australian schools to enhance the accessibility of industry-endorsed pathways to employment, and ensure a continuous pipeline of young skilled workers, particularly in critical occupations such as ICT, cyber security, engineering, and electrotechnology.

Cost – $1.5 million over two years, 2023 to 2025. South Australian Government funded and delivered.

Timing – Implementation from 2023–24.

Impact – 20 new schools, at 15 to 30 students engaging in a defence industry related FIP per school, per annum; targeting up to 600 students per annum on a defence-relevant career path.

Delivery partner - South Australian Department for Education

This initiative provides resources to educators and parents to support conversations with primary school aged children about the range of careers in the defence industry, such as advanced manufacturing and naval engineering.

Cost – Up to $250,000 in 2023–24. Australian Government funded and delivered.

Timing – Complete and promote the ebook by March 2024.

Impact – Boost awareness of careers in advanced manufacturing and the defence industry, and generate student pipeline effects for the coming decade.

Delivery partner - Australian Government Department of Education