• Minister Pyne and SA Premier Steven Marshall in Techport, SA. Defence
    Minister Pyne and SA Premier Steven Marshall in Techport, SA. Defence
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Australian businesses and organisations will be given the opportunity to have their say about the workforce challenges and skills-related barriers affecting their contribution to the modernisation of ADF capabilities.

The government has appointed Stephen Hayes, executive director of the Gravity Group and former RAAF officer, as the National Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Facilitator.

In a statement, Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said that Defence industry is not well identified in broader workforce data and many defence firms work across multiple sectors.

Participating in the Defence Industry Skilling Survey will enable businesses and other interested parties to inform the development of the Defence Industry Skilling, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strategy to be launched this year.

“The survey will help us build a better picture of defence sector skills and identify trends that may impact capacity to meet Defence’s current and future capability needs,” Minister Pyne said.

“The survey will also help identify priorities to be addressed through the strategy.

“The strategy will help ensure that the defence industry workforce and skills base is in place when required to support Defence’s capability needs over the next decade, and to maximise the opportunities for supporting Australian industry workforce capability, innovation, and capacity.”

“It is important that we highlight what our defence industry is and does, promote awareness and practical career paths in defence industry for Australian workers at all stages of their careers, and ensure that we can retain and upskill our defence industry to build greater capability today and for the future."

The Skilling and STEM Strategy is an important component in the implementation of the Defence Industrial Capability Plan, which was released in April.

Minister Pyne said the appointment of Mr Hayes, former CEO of the International Centre for Complex Project Management, will assist Defence in identifying and assessing defence industry skills issues across government, industry and the education sector to achieve stronger collaboration and to support defence industry workforce needs.

“Mr Hayes brings an international reputation and expertise in the coordination of complex projects and will provide strategic advice to Defence, support and consultation with a range of stakeholders on Australia’s defence industry skilling and STEM challenges and gaps,” Minister Pyne said.

“Mr Hayes will also examine international defence industry skills approaches to draw together best practice and suggest options to Defence to address the long term need for a skilled defence industry workforce.”

The Defence Industry Skilling Survey will be open until 20 July, and is available here

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