The Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are delivering on their commitment to grow and sustain South Australia’s defence industry workforce, to fulfil some of the largest and most complex defence projects in Australia’s history.
The South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report and Action Plan provides a detailed blueprint to create, train, and retain a highly skilled and experienced defence industry workforce into the 2040s.
One year since its release, more than 80 per cent of the Australian and South Australian Government-funded workforce development initiatives are now underway.
Of the 22 integrated initiatives designed in partnership with industry, 19 have commenced, which address the strategic objectives to engage school students and teachers, create new education and employment pathways, and upskill existing workers:
- Almost 5,000 secondary students, 550 teachers, and 114 schools from across South Australia have participated in the Schools Pathways Program, learning about potential future careers in defence industry and engaging in STEM activities.
- Findon Technical College opened in January 2024, with more than 230 students now on a direct pathway into a defence industry career.
- 40 mid-career defence industry workers completed Defence Teaming Centre’s Defence Industry Leadership Program in 2024.
- Two pilot Degree Apprenticeship programs established:
oMechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship offered at Flinders University.
oSoftware Engineering Degree Apprenticeship offered at the University of South Australia.
- More than 1,000 Commonwealth Supported Places have been allocated to the University of Adelaide and Flinders University across four years.
- Delivery partner appointed and expressions of interest open for the Defence Industry Connection Program, offering university students paid industry placements in defence industry businesses.
Within the next year further initiatives will commence, including:
- The Defence Industry Pathways Program will be established in South Australia, with entry-level trainees embarking on a Certificate III qualification with TAFE SA and defence industry placements.
- Shipbuilding Employment Pathways will be available for apprentices in the engineering and electrical streams with Certificate III qualifications.
- Port Augusta Technical College will open, with the remaining colleges (The Heights, Tonsley, and Mt Gambier) to welcome students from 2026.
- Entry-level Aeroskills for Jobseekers will target 25 participants who will undertake the Certificate II in Aeroskills to help build their skills to transition to Certificate IV trade skill courses in the aviation sector.
- Design for the Skills and Training Academy is continuing. Tailored education, training and skilling pilot initiatives for the submarine and naval shipbuilding workforce are being scoped for early activation.
These programs are a vital part of ensuring the nation has the necessary support to deliver advanced projects for the Australian Defence Force, including Australia’s conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines and the build and sustainment of Navy’s surface combatant fleet.
The Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report and Action Plan represents $58 million in investment between the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments. This figure grows to more than $300 million when considering the establishment of South Australia’s five Technical Colleges and Australian Government funding for AUKUS-aligned university places – both set to have a significant impact in equipping South Australians with in-demand trade and STEM skills.
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As put by Stephen Mullighan
Defence projects such as AUKUS and the Hunter-Class Frigates will create a generation of work for South Australians and inject tens of billions of dollars into SA’s economy.
These initiatives are designed to yield both immediate and sustained impacts, catering to current workforce demands while laying the groundwork for South Australia’s future needs.
Engagement with industry, education and training providers, workers, unions, and communities was instrumental to the development and implementation of the Action Plan, and continued partnerships will prove critical to its success.
As put by Susan Close
The South Australian and Commonwealth Governments and defence primes are working together towards a critical, common goal – to ensure there is an agile, diverse, and highly-skilled workforce equipped to execute the most complex national security projects.
Since the SADIWS Report was released, the establishment of the Australian Defence Technologies Academy is now underway, aligned with the new Adelaide University and located in Adelaide’s central innovation district Lot Fourteen, which will provide digital training, education and research capabilities critical to the defence industry.
