News

The South Australian Skills Commission has formally declared a new degree apprenticeship pathway – tailored to support mechanical engineering students into promising defence industry careers.

Flinders University has partnered with defence industry primes ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems Australia to welcome a cohort of mechanical engineering degree apprentices from early 2025.

Degree apprenticeships combine higher education degrees with paid industry experience, preparing graduates to secure their place in one of more than 11,000 defence industry roles required in South Australia over the next 20 years.

It follows a degree apprenticeship pilot program established with the University of South Australia earlier this year – an Australian first.

Further degree apprenticeships will be supported by an additional $2.5 million in joint South Australian and Federal Government funding, as a key commitment of the SA Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Action Plan.

Over the next four years, eligible universities can apply to establish and deliver degree apprenticeship pilot programs aligned to defence industry workforce needs.