An innovative trainee program is giving workers an insight into the growing defence industry, including the scale of projects and the diversity of roles involved.
The Defence Industry Pathways Program, funded by the State and Federal Governments, is a 12-month paid traineeship providing participants with practical experience and knowledge about the defence industry, which differs from the Australian Defence Force.
The defence industry comprises businesses that manufacture or develop products and services for Australia’s defence supply chain or an international defence supply chain.
The trainees, who are employed by group training organisation PEER and hosted by prominent businesses in the defence sector, are receiving on-the-job training through their host organisations and accredited training at TAFE SA leading to a Certificate III in Defence Industry Pathways.
Through the program, participants experience roles in logistics, supply chain management, data management, project management, technical drawing, and engineering fundamentals.
Among the first group of trainees are Matthew Clemente, Leo Vickers and Grace Palenzuela, who are embracing the opportunity to work within the defence sector so they can see first-hand the projects being undertaken and the career paths that are available.
While defence may seem a world away from animation and special effects, university graduate Matthew Clemente says he could see opportunities for his skills to be used in the program.
“I’d just completed a Bachelor of Creative Industries and I saw that one of the areas was CAD (computer-aided design) work and I thought I have experience in that through my degree, so I applied,” Matthew says.
“The traineeship appealed because it was a pathway into an industry and there’s potential to have a fairly secure profession.”
As part of his traineeship, he’ll rotate through different departments at his host business, BAE Systems Australia, building experience and gaining some insight into the roles that he’s most interested in.
Fellow trainee Grace Palenzuela was working in a purchasing role at a manufacturing company before gaining a traineeship.
“When the program was advertised, I could see they were doing some logistics and because of my purchasing experience I decided to apply,” says Grace, who is feeling “grateful” to be hosted at global defence and aerospace company, Babcock, where she is currently working in engineering capability.
The defence industry was on school leaver Leo Vickers’ shortlist of career interests so, he says, the pathways program seemed an ideal opportunity.
Hosted by Century Engineering, Leo has been working in recruitment and HR and is looking forward to trying other areas of the business during his traineeship.
“You don’t realise how many jobs are connected to an industry,” Leo says.
Matthew: “I agree, when you think of defence you think pilots, naval officers and military, rather than people who stay here on shore, but of course you need services like HR.”
The three trainees agree that an early highlight of the program was an industry tour of BAE Systems Australia and Australia’s sovereign submarine builder and maintainer, ASC.
“We went to BAE and ASC and had tours inside the complexes. We saw the warehouse where they’re building the new frigates, we saw two submarines – one in the water - and that was cool,” Leo says.
“I don’t think many people can say they’ve seen a submarine up close while it’s being maintained.”
The Defence Industry Pathways Program and its sister program, the Shipbuilding Employment Pathways pilot initiative, enable trainees and apprentices to obtain world-class qualifications while receiving hands-on training opportunities and full-time paid employment.
For more information, visit the TAFE SA website or the PEER website.
Pictured above (from left to right) are Leo Vickers, Grace Palenzuela and Matthew Clemente, and below is the first intake of trainees for the Defence Industry Pathways Program with key stakeholders and supporters.
