$2.4 MILLION INVESTMENT IN WA MARITIME INDUSTRY

The Minister for Defence, the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP, announced during his visit to Western Australia today that the State is set to benefit from the Defence Industry Skilling Program Enhancement package that was outlined last November.

The $60.8 million skills package is a major initiative aimed at growing the Australian Defence Industry’s productivity skills and capability in order to continue to effectively and efficiently support the Australian Defence Force.

The package includes a number of education initiatives designed to address the significant shortfall in the quantity and quality of professional and workforce skills required by defence industry and to ensure that secondary and tertiary students have work and career pathways into defence industry.

The development of the $2.4 million Maritime Industry School Pathways Program in Western Australia will provide the maths, science and technical studies the students will need to pursue a career in the local maritime sector. The Minister made the announcement following a visit to Sevenoaks Senior College in Cannington, Western Australia. 

“This will be achieved by developing and delivering a school curriculum for years 9-12 for participating schools in Western Australia and linking them with the defence maritime industry through work placements and other career opportunities,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

The program will build upon the strong maritime skills base that exists in the State and is recognition that the Government clearly identifies the need for industry and both the Commonwealth and State governments to work together to develop a skilled workforce, regardless of our current economic climate.

The 2009 Defence White Paper outlines the Government’s policy objective of growing the capacity and competitiveness of local defence industry through the ongoing investment in skills development, workforce growth and improved productivity.  Programs will continue to work with defence industry, secondary schools, universities and other institutions to encourage students to enter engineering courses and then to mentor and create career pathways for those who do so.

Media contacts:

Christian Taubenschlag (Joel Fitzgibbon):             02 6277 7800 or 0438 595 567

Defence Media Liaison:                                           02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664