South Australia will lead the charge as the first state to formally introduce a Degree Apprenticeship program for mechanical engineering, paving the way to a promising career in the defence industry. The South Australian Skills Commission has formally declared the innovative educational pathway which provides students with the opportunity to ‘earn while they learn’ and follows the launch of a pilot Degree Apprenticeship program in software engineering. Flinders University has partnered with Adelaide-based Defence industry primes ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems [...]

Sixteen Adelaide-based trainee aerospace workers have joined Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) to support the P-8A Poseidon Through Life Support program. The trainees are currently undertaking in a six-month Certificate II in Aeroskills with South Australian-based based Flight One School of Engineering. After completing the Certificate, they will transition into on-the-job training before supporting the P-8A Increment 3 Block 2 software, systems and sensor upgrades on 12 RAAF fleet P-8A aircraft. The cohort marks the largest single intake by the company [...]

Adelaide-based Rhiannon Reynolds from Aurecon has been announced as the 2024 Australian Defence Industry Network SA (AIDN-SA) Young Achiever Award winner. Now in its 18th year, the Young Achiever Award recognises upcoming defence industry leaders making an impact through leadership, technical ability and industry achievements. Five young leaders were nominated for the award, all demonstrating passion and dedication to the defence industry, with Rhiannon Reynolds awarded the honour for her work as an Associate, Program Performance at Aurecon. In her multifaceted role spanning more than eight years, [...]

Adelaide-based space education start-up Robinson Aerospace Systems has joined forces with Space Elevator in France and The Exploration Company in Germany to launch seven international schools into orbit. Project Space Call is enabling secondary students from Australia, Rwanda, Singapore, Ukraine, Colombia, the UAE and the United States to participate in a real space mission scheduled for launch in early 2025. Over the past eight months, these international students have designed, manufactured and programmed small modules, each containing a microcontroller, LED [...]

Twenty-six university students were recognised at the Defence Industry Scholarship Program graduation ceremony held in Adelaide on 10 July 2024. Now in its fifth year, the successful South Australian Government program is administered by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group), supporting the development of a defence-ready workforce by providing students with unique insights into one of the state’s fastest growing sectors. To date, the program has provided 91 students from Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the University of [...]

In an Australian first, the GRAVITY Challenge piloted a six-week MicroGRAVITY Challenge at Hamilton Secondary College, proving that the sky’s no limit for South Australia’s next generation of STEM leaders. Founded in Adelaide in 2019, the GRAVITY Challenge was designed to connect industry and government to global innovators in the Space ecosystem and has subsequently been adapted into a new program focused on student innovators. From 6 May to 20 June, 20 Year 9-10 students at Hamilton Secondary College took [...]

For Royal Australian Air Force Veteran Anthony Kunda, a career in the defence industry has proved to be just what he was looking for post-service – combining skills learnt while serving his country with his passion to be a part of something bigger. When Anthony Kunda left the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) after 10 years of service, he felt something was missing. Anthony joined the RAAF in 2008 as a communications electronic technician. His service [...]

Over the years, Loren has worked in events across a myriad of industries, but her latest career move is proof that you don’t need to be an engineer or join the Defence Force to find your place in the defence industry. After graduating from high school, Loren pursued an Advanced Diploma in Business Marketing and immediately put her new-found skills to use. Her keen eye for detail and meticulous organisational skills quickly led her down the path of event management; [...]

Throughout his colourful career, Veteran Dave Saunders has worn many hats, sharpening his skill set in roles across Defence, public service, research and most recently, space. Dave’s career path is one of many twists and turns, proving that there’s always room to learn and grow in South Australia’s ever evolving defence and space industries. Armed with a Bachelor of Music from the University of Adelaide, Dave Saunders went on to enlist in the Australian Army as a musician for eight [...]

Jeremy’s 19-year career has spanned both defence and civilian workforces. Now, as Head of Industry Capability at BAE Systems Australia and an Army Reservist, Jeremy utilises the skills he’s learned for a great ambition: to support the security and prosperity of our nation. Growing up on a sheep farm in a small Victorian country town, Jeremy always knew he wanted to be part of something important. He had always been a people-oriented person, gravitating towards leadership roles at school and [...]

Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) Pathways Manager Bez Mohammadi shares first-hand insights into South Australia’s evolving research and innovation sector. In search of a new challenge, Bez turned to the defence and space industries. “I joined DIP in 2022 because I wanted to be part of something new and exciting,” he said. “South Australia is evolving, and cutting-edge projects are continuously coming to the fore.” DIP is a catalyst for defence-relevant research and development in South Australia. “We foster collaboration and [...]

The popular KBR annual summer internship program is back, with 60 exciting roles on offer in Australia. Two thousand people in Australia currently work across major defence and infrastructure projects, and the internship is the ideal opportunity to acquire hands-on experience and forge a successful career at the leader in global technology and engineering. With an established footprint in Adelaide, KBR graduates like Josh Wurfel can immerse themselves in cutting-edge projects taking place in the country’s Defence State. Several months [...]