The Queensland Government has unveiled a $1.1 million scheme to offer free TAFE training and apprenticeships to ADF veterans transitioning to careers in civil industry.
The initiative, announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Employment and Small Business, and Training and Skills Development, Di Farmer on 18 November, is part of the government’s election commitment to support up to 300 local veterans through the Defence to Civilian Success Training Program.
“Veterans bring a wealth of skills and experience and my government – with the support of TAFE Queensland – will help them capitalise on their abilities when they leave the military,” Palaszczuk said.
The funding will also be allocated to promoting the program to veterans, as well as a new mentoring program to support them with potential employment in the Queensland public service.
“TAFE Queensland has already delivered remarkable outcomes with its existing Transition to Civi Street program, which will now be enhanced by the new training program, providing further opportunities to those veterans who need support,” Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veteran’s Affairs Bart Mellish added.
Up to 300 veterans currently transitioning to a career in industry will be eligible for training under the scheme and a number have already taken up the offer.
“We’ve already been able to place some really good Defence people into the advanced manufacturing supply chain, including with companies like Ferra Engineering, Protonautics and BDGT. Some of these organisations are working on projects such as Boeing’s Loyal Wingman,” Garry Hargreaves, Defence Solutions Project Manager at TAFE Queensland said.
“They absolutely enhance Defence sovereign capability. It is a really good initiative and has been received really well, a number of defence primes and industry groups have tapped into this.”
The largest and most experienced of its kind in the state, TAFE Queensland has previously partnered with the state government to up-skill the local defence industry, including training welders to the international ISO9606 accreditation, required in industry sectors such as shipbuilding and armoured vehicle production.