News

It has been estimated that the defence industry will need an additional 10,000 jobs over the next two decades, including 8,500 direct jobs and 2,900 in supply chains and supporting activities, to fulfill the major projects occurring in the state.

To ensure we can meet these commitments and build a defence-ready workforce, the Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report was released late last year.

A joint commitment between the Australian and South Australian governments, the report includes targeted initiatives that directly support attracting, skilling and developing the defence industry workforce in South Australia.

The initiatives cover the spectrum of education, training and the potential workforce that we will need to tap into to bolster our defence industry workforce capabilities, cater to current demand, and lay the groundwork for future needs, including:

• primary and secondary schooling
• vocational education and training
• higher education
• entry-level workforce
• mid-career workforce
• other supporting measures.

One of these initiatives is the Defence Industry Connection Program, which will support students in defence industry-aligned courses and help them transition from study to employment.

An expanded version of the former Defence Industry Scholarship Program, the new program will have a broader scope to better meet the objectives of the Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report.

The final iteration of the previous program, administered by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), saw the recent graduation of 26 university students.

The students, who are all completing a degree in either STEM or business, received grants of up to $10,000 to undertake placements with local defence companies, providing work-based learning opportunities and a unique way for students to get a foot in the door to an exciting career in the defence and space industries.

Over the last five years, 91 students have completed placements across 26 host companies, including 19 SMEs and seven defence primes, and more than 80 per cent have gone on to gain ongoing employment.

Participating organisations have seen the benefits of the program too, saying it is an invaluable way of recruiting the best and brightest students direct, offering a return on investment while helping students gain the practical skills and knowledge they need in a workplace setting.

The new Defence Industry Connection Program, commencing later this year, will build on this success and provide even more opportunities for young people to kickstart their careers in the defence industry.

You can register your interest now to take on an intern once the new program commences.