Front row L-R: Ms Jacqui Larsson, Project Officer, Defence Industry Innovation Centre; Mr Tony Quick, Director, Defence Industry Innovation Centre; Mr Tim Bloomfield, Director, DMO; Ms Virginia Francken, Assistant Director, DMO.
Standing L-R: Ms Donna Thornton, Assistant Director, DMO; Mr Mike Callen, Business Adviser, SA; Mr Peter Dodgson, Deputy Director, Defence Industry Innovation Centre; Mr Mark Novak, Business Adviser, ACT/NSW; Mr Rodney Love, Business Adviser, QLD; Mr Greg Salotti, Business Adviser, WA.
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The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has allocated $21.2 million to fund, establish and manage the new Defence Industry Innovation Centre within the Enterprise Connect Program for a period of five years. Managed by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR), Enterprise Connect consists of Manufacturing and Innovation Centres around the country dedicated to giving Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) better understanding and access to new ideas and technologies.
The new Defence Industry Innovation Centre hub is co-located within the Victorian Enterprise Connect Manufacturing Centre in Dandenong and came into operation on 1 July 2009. Specialist Defence Industry Business Advisers are located in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Manufacturing Centre premises and are managed through the Centre Director located in Dandenong.
The Defence Industry Innovation Centre will assist SMEs in the Defence sector improve their productivity and competitiveness by providing a full range of advisory services and assistance.
Some of the activities to be performed by the Centre to support SMEs are:
- business reviews;
- financial support and mentoring for companies;
- linking firms with the best market knowledge and research;
- assisting firms to access Government programs;
- industry intelligence, workshops and networking opportunities; and
- specialist services and advice relevant to firms within the defence industry sector.
The Industry Innovation Directorate in the Industry Division of the DMO has recently coordinated a two-day workshop for the Defence Industry Innovation Centre Director and Business Advisers with the view to share information and raise awareness of the programs and initiatives performed by the DMO and other areas of Defence.
Tony Quick, Director Defence Industry Innovation Centre said he was pleased to be participating in the Enterprise Connect program.
“Through this Centre, businesses operating in a wide range of defence industries will be able to access the support and assistance they require to compete on an international level,” Mr Quick said.
For more information on the opportunities available, call the Enterprise Connect Hotline on 131791 or visit www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au |
