Investing in Defence: BAE Systems Technical and Engineering Training Manager Stephen Pickard and Defence Materiel Organisation’s (DMO) Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) Program Director Robyn Wall sign the official documentation to extend BAE Systems’ involvement in the skilling scheme.
Left to right: BAE Systems Director of Human Resources, Wayne Achurch; Mr Pickard; Mrs Wall; and DMO SADI Program Project Officer, Luke Kostava.
Two milestones occurred in the Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) Program in March that will see an increase in defence industry apprenticeships in Australia.
Small to medium enterprise North Australia Technologies (NAT) signed an agreement with Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), at the Avalon Air Show, that enables the company to deliver a tailored in-house apprenticeship training program with help from SADI.
And, BAE Systems expanded its current involvement in the SADI program to enable 15 additional apprentices a year to fast-track their way into the defence aerospace sector through an Aircraft Trade Pre-apprenticeship Program (ATPP).
The NAT apprenticeship program will allow up to 10 apprentices each year, for the next four years, to receive training in information-technology and electro-technology.
NAT was motivated to develop and implement its apprenticeship program, as part of a 10-year plan to grow its current work force, to ward off the potential effects of distance, isolation and the critical skills shortage.
The new apprenticeship scheme will greatly assist regional business in the Northern Territory because NAT will make a number of training places available to apprentices from other local employers.
DMO Director SADI Program Robyn Wall said the NAT apprentice program is innovative and will add considerable growth in the Defence electronics industry in the Northern Territory. The second contract, the DMO/BAE Systems Australia SADI agreement sees BAE Systems invest an additional $1.077 million and the DMO up to $800,000 to develop critical skills training for Australian apprentices through ATPP.
The program reduces the time required to complete their chosen trade from four to between two and three years.
The $800,000 SADI contribution, over the next three years, will help BAE Systems develop apprentices in aerospace mechanics, avionics and structures via the ATPP.
BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jim McDowell, said the skills shortage across Australia is making it vital that we are able to attract apprentices into the defence industry and train them as quickly and effectively as possible.
‘We need to do this to ensure the continued support of the Australian Defence Force. The SADI program has played a key role in enabling this to happen, it would not be possible without their funding and support and I encourage more organisations to take advantage of the program,’ Mr McDowell said.
Mrs Wall said BAE Systems has a strong and growing commitment to the SADI Program which deserves to be congratulated. 
Creating opportunities: Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) representatives met with the Managing Director of North Australian Technologies, Mark Smith, at the Avalon Air Show to sign an agreement that will enable regional workers to gain defence industry skill sets. Left to right: SADI Program Executive Officer, John Oaten; SADI Program Director, Robyn Wall; and Mr Smith.
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