SA and WA high school students to benefit from new defence program

By EducationHQ News Team
Published August 6, 2024

Secondary school students will gain defence industry experience through activities such as project-based learning, industry visits, presentations and challenges as part of a Federal Government Federation Funding Agreement with South Australia and Western Australia for the delivery of what is called the Schools Pathways Program (SPP).

“We want students and apprentices to know they can start their journey to a career in defence industry while still at school, getting qualifications that will get them a job when they finish their SACE,” SA Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer says.

Part of a $5.1 million commitment under the Government’s Defence Industry Development Strategy, students will also have the opportunity to connect with mentors and networks of highly skilled defence industry professionals

The SPP will help to promote STEM learning in schools in those states and pathways for students to pursue a future career in the defence industry sector.

Professional development opportunities and practical information will also be provided to teachers and carers to support their discussions with students.

This is in addition to the Government’s funding of 4000 commonwealth-supported places in STEM bachelor degrees across 16 Australian universities, with a quarter of them designated for institutions in South Australia, where the AUKUS nuclear submarine construction will be based.

South Australia and Western Australia will have central roles in delivering major defence projects over the coming decades.

SA will need to more than double its current skilled workforce from 3500 workers to more than 8500 by 2040 to deliver the fleet, according to a defence report released in November.

The Government is aiming to engage 27,000 SA students in STEM education throughout primary and high school while preparing university students for the workforce via paid apprenticeships and the SPP.

“We need more young Australians studying STEM subjects in schools and developing skills for our future workforce,” Minister for Education, Jason Clare said in a statement.

“This program will ensure more Australians have the opportunity to follow their passions in STEM and develop the technical skills we need in national security and defence.”

The Government said it is committed to building home-grown capabilities, and supporting the development of highly-trained, highly-skilled workers to meet the needs of the nation’s defence industry partners, now and into the future.

The SPP is also a key initiative of the joint Commonwealth-South Australia Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report, launched on November 1 last year.

Commonwealth funding for the SPP has been scheduled for financial years 2023-24 to 2025-26.

Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy said the SPP provides practical career awareness activities for secondary school students and creates links between schools and defence industry.

“Our critical national defence projects, including conventionally-armed, nuclear‑powered submarines, are delivered by a highly educated, highly trained workforce with cutting edge skills and capabilities,” he said.

The SPP, he said, is an instrumental mechanism in defence’s strategic approach to ensuring a highly skilled workforce pipeline to support future defence industry needs.

“The Albanese Government is working to increase the uptake and completion of STEM studies in schools, to ensure we are building the skilled workforce now that can tackle the issues of tomorrow,” Conroy said.

WA Minister for Education, Dr Tony Buti said his state’s defence industry is a priority sector, which contributes an estimated $3 billion each year to the WA economy and already directly employs around 3000 people.

“The School Pathways Program is an exciting initiative that will open new opportunities for WA students, inspiring them to pursue careers in the defence industry, and develop critical and transferrable knowledge and skills,” he said.

“With a strong foundation in STEM education, we are preparing our students for jobs of the future and ensuring that our State continues to be a leader in innovation and technology, aided by hands-on learning experiences and mentoring.”

SA Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer, meanwhile, said there’s a ‘big job ahead’ for his state to significantly increase its skilled workforce to meet the demands of its emerging defence industry and other areas of growth.

“The Schools Pathway program will support our young people by providing an understanding of the defence industry and the various careers available to them as part of the sector,” Boyer said.