South Australia is at the forefront of reinforcing its commitment to building a highly skilled workforce for the future with the launch of its second-Degree Apprenticeship program.
The South Australian Skills Commission has officially announced a degree apprenticeship pathway in mechanical engineering, specifically designed to support students entering the high demand defence industry.
In response to this project, Deputy Premier, the Hon Susan Close said, “South Australia is embarking on a period of significant workforce and skills development. The establishment of degree apprenticeships is just one way the South Australian government is matching local jobseekers and school leavers with the thousands of defence industry career opportunities coming online.”
“A job in South Australia’s defence industry requires a mix of hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge making a degree apprenticeship the perfect model to transform entry-level jobseekers into highly capable employees. We are leading the nation in ensuring young people have opportunities that will lead to well-paying in-demand careers.” said the Hon Blair Boyer MP, Minister for Education, Training and Skills.
Flinders University has teamed up with industry leaders, ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems Australia, to introduce this initiative. The program, set to begin in early 2025, will allow students to combine paid apprenticeships with their university degrees, offering them a fantastic opportunity to earn while they learn. This pathway will provide graduates with valuable industry experience, preparing them for one of the nation’s most critical sectors.
We are supportive of how the model is being developed in South Australia and how it could be applied to other industries and disciplines, where on-the job learning while studying at university could fast-track the development of work-ready university graduates. The Commission is committed to developing an agile, industry aligned skills system that meets skills and workforce needs and enables careers in our growing industries.” said Commissioner Cameron Baker, Chair of the SA Skills Commission.
The program follows a pilot apprenticeship established with the University of South Australia, which commenced earlier this year with an initial cohort of 13 students combining a software engineering qualification with paid industry placements at host businesses like BAE Systems, ASC and Consunet.
The South Australian Government is further enhancing this initiative with $2.5 million in joint funding from the South Australian and Federal Governments. This funding supports the expansion of Degree Apprenticeship programs as a key action within the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Action Plan. Over the next four years, eligible South Australian universities will have the opportunity to apply for funding to launch additional degree apprenticeship programs that align with the region’s defence industry needs.