14 August 2019

Australia launches defence industry skills initiative

by Jon Grevatt

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has published a strategy to support the development of defence industry skills over the coming decade and beyond.

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Workforce Strategic Vision 2019–2030 was released on 13 August.

The DoD said the plan is intended to ensure that Australia has a “defence industry with the workforce capacity and capability” to meet the requirements of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Australia has launched an initiative to boost its defence industry skills in areas including naval shipbuilding to support major projects such as the construction of BAE Systems Hunter-class frigates (pictured) (Royal Australian Navy)

According to the DoD the new skills strategy will “targets gaps and opportunities” in Australia’s defence industry and the country’s broader education and workforce capabilities.

The strategy will include four approaches to boosting defence industry skills: improving access to information about defence industry career opportunities and supporting STEM learning opportunities; providing support for defence companies to “grow and attract” their workforce; encourage industry investment in skills; and collaborate with industry to improve its responses to long-term workforce requirements.

To support the strategy, the DoD said it will streamline existing governance and policy for related activity into a new National Defence Industry Skills Office (NDISO). The NDISO will be the lead agency to engage with local industry on the four approaches to skills development.

“The NDISO will act as a single point of contact within the DoD for industry skilling and STEM-related engagement,” said the DoD. The NDISO will replace the Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) programme, which was established in 2005 but discontinued in 2018.

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has published a strategy to support the development of de...

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