WA Defence Industry Forum a big success!

The WA Defence Industry Workforce Development Forum (air, land, space, information and cybersecurity defence capability domains) was held on Thursday September 23rd 2021.

Hosted by the WA Defence Industry Workforce Office (WADIWO), together with the Department of Training and Workforce Development, the forum provided the opportunity for industry — in consultation with other stakeholders including Defence, Defence West, defence industry peak bodies, universities and TAFEs — to provide input for the formulation of a strategic workforce development plan. The workforce development plan is a committed deliverable under the WA Defence and Defence Industries Strategic Plan.

Key industry stakeholders including defence industry prime contractors, supply chain, and small to medium employers enjoyed an opening address from Karen Ho, Acting Director General of the Department, then worked together to generate ideas for practical actions beyond ‘business as usual’, to grow WA’s skilled workforce for the defence industry.

A/Director General, Karen Ho, leading discussion at the forum.	Forum facilitator Andrew Huffer

The WADIWO’s work to grow a skilled workforce for the needs of the WA’s maritime defence industry to date has already been translated into the WA Government’s $18.34 million package announced last September, including:

• an incentive of $20,000 for defence industry employers to take on apprentices in key trades;
• a Defence Industry Veterans Employment Scheme providing scholarships to support and train veterans for the defence industry;
• a targeted advertising campaign ‘The Other Force’ to promote careers in the defence industry to school leavers, career changers and jobseekers. 

In addition, South Metropolitan TAFE is delivering a range of initiatives under the package including:

• a specialist defence industry career guidance team at the Rockingham Jobs and Skills Centre to promote defence industry careers;
• seven skill sets to upskill qualified trade workers to work in the defence industry;
• new Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machines to train and upskill fitters and machinists, available in Semester 1, 2022; and
• a Women in the Defence Industry scholarship program which has already seen the first cohort of graduates securing jobs in the industry and continuing to further study. A second intake has already commenced.

For more information on defence training, jobs and careers please visit jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/defence.

Contact information

Western Australian Defence Industry Workforce Office
State Workforce Planning
Department of Training and Workforce Development
P: 08 6551 5145
E: wadiwo@dtwd.wa.gov.au