Learn more about a career in the defence industry
The following resources and FAQs provide additional information and insight into South Australia’s thriving defence industry.
Still want to know more? Contact us here.
Pathways into the defence industry
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Steel In, Ships Out
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Explore Careers: Rebecca, BAE Systems Apprentice
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Careers of the future: What opportunities are within defence industry?
Careers in defence industry support projects delivered by the Department of Defence through the Australian Defence Force. The defence industry in South Australia is made up of hundreds of businesses who use their skills and expertise to supply and support the Defence Force’s efforts in defending our way of life.
- Program/Project Administrator/Manager
- Marketing Specialist
- Contract Administrator
- Purchasing Officer
- Estimator
- Production Manager
- Supervisor
- Product Quality Controller
- Intelligence Analyst
- Quality Analyst
- Planner
- Scheduler
- Purchasing Officer/Manager
- Subcontracts Administrator/Manager
- Legal Adviser
- Finance Manager
- Industrial Designer
- Systems Designer
- Architectural Draftsperson
- Test and Activation Engineer
- Production Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Combat Systems Engineer
- Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Software and Applications Programmer
- ICT Support Technician
- ICT Security Specialist
- ICT Systems Analyst
- Communications Technician
- Electronics Technician
- Boat Builder
- Shipwright
- Structural Steel and Welding Tradesperson
- Sheet Metal Tradesperson
- Metal Fitter and Machinist Electrician
- Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
- Carpenter and Joiner
- Glazier
- Painting Tradesperson
- Motor Mechanic
- Aircraft Maintenance Technician
- Crane Operator
- Truck Driver
- Trades Assistant
- Commercial Cleaner
- Store Person
- Trade Management/Supervision
- Mechanical Operations Tradesperson
- Electrical Operations Tradesperson
- Piping Operations Tradesperson
- Light Fabrication Tradesperson
- Heavy Fabrication Tradesperson
- Welding Operations Tradesperson
Tafe SA has put together a detailed summary of the career opportunities within the naval shipbuilding enterprise that align with their VET training and education.
For a detailed summary on the available aerospace career opportunities aligned with Tafe SA training, please refer to this resource.
Technically Possible is a six-part podcast series exploring Australia’s greatest defence technologies and the inspirational people behind them. The series is hosted by mathematician and leading science communicator, Lily Serna, and presented by BAE Systems Australia.
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) have established a workforce framework that establishes a taxonomy and common language to describe all types of cyber security work irrespective of where the work is performed. Explore AustCyber’s interactive NICE framework dashboard to learn about potential roles in cyber security and the knowledge, skills, abilities and tasks that underpin them.
Jobs in space, defence, cyber, energy and hi-tech are growing in South Australia. Developing your skills for these industries will open the door to exciting careers. You might be surprised by the range of skills they need!
The Careers Hub is a great source of information to help you navigate finding a career in South Australia’s fastest growing industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A career in the defence industry will see you working on projects that support the Australian Defence Force.
No. There are many career pathways into the defence industry, including TAFE and university.
Generally speaking, some level of security clearance is required (or the ability to obtain one) as most projects associated with Defence are classified. This is something your potential employer would discuss with you.
The defence industry consists of large, multi-national primes; Australian owned and operated SMEs; and smaller companies that often provide specialised parts and equipment to larger companies.
No. There are a range of education pathways available to start your career in the defence industry.
Yes. The majority of defence industry jobs require a minimum BASELINE security clearance for which you are required to be an Australian citizen. If you are not an Australian citizen, you may still be able to gain employment, however, this is something that should be discussed with your potential employer at the time of application. For further information on citizenship requirements please visit https://defence.gov.au/agsva/.
No. The defence industry offers an exciting range of careers from project management to combat systems engineering; contracts management to Information Technology; supply chain to WHS; marketing and communications to logistics.
Defence SA is the South Australian Government’s lead agency for all defence matters.
Defence SA wants to ensure South Australia takes full advantage of the major project opportunities in the defence industry and have developed the Find Your Place and Make Your Move campaigns to educate and inspire the future workforce about the life-long careers available in the state.
The jobs available are not recruited by Defence SA, they are managed by industry and can be found here. If you are interested in working for Defence SA, any job opportunities are posted on our careers page when they arise.
There is a lot of information available for those looking for a career in the defence industry and this can be overwhelming! We have aimed to simplify this for you by collating available information sources on this website. Start by selecting the category that matches your current status from the options on the homepage and explore a range of short and long term pathways to get you into the defence industry.
