DILP 2026

The Defence Industry Leadership Program (DILP) has played a pivotal role in nurturing the growth of more than 370 defence industry leaders since its establishment in 2010.

Within the context of the rapidly evolving Australian defence landscape, the demand for adept, forward-looking, and collaborative leadership is paramount. Such leaders are essential to effectively steer through challenges, welcome innovation, and secure industry's role in both national security and economic prosperity.

With a focus on addressing the workforce development requirements of our aspiring upcoming leaders, the Defence Industry Leadership Program is highly regarded as the flagship leadership program for Australia's defence industry.

DILP is a nine-month leadership program co-ordinated and delivered by the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) in collaboration with registered training provider, SkillsLab (a Tetra Tech company). This comprehensive program is designed to nurture and elevate your core leadership abilities within the distinctive context of Australia's defence industry.

Through face-to-face workshops, and experiential learning, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to effectively lead and manage multi-party collaborations and understand the complexity of the defence industry. You will gain proficiency in self-leadership and self-awareness and become comfortable applying adaptive leadership in challenging environments.

You will hear presentations from senior Defence/industry specialists, engage with industry through site visits and build highly valuable relationships with other participants on the course.

Upon completion of the course graduates will receive, through our partner Skills Lab, a nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management.

"Compared to other leadership programs, DILP was much more practical, offered real-world experiences, facilitated formal and informal opportunities to network, and also provided course material and relevant readings to help reinforce the learnings." - Allan Mankavil, Boeing Defence Australia

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

July

ADM Women in Defence and National Security Breakfast proudly hosted by I’ve Got Your 6 Foundation with the theme of Empowering Women.

The Queensland Defence Summit will bring together government, industry, academics and policy experts to examine Australia’s defence capabilities and strategic requirements spanning Far North Queensland and the broader Pacific.

October

The Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition has announced the 2026 edition of Australia’s largest land defence trade event will be held in Perth, Western Australia, from 6-8 October 2026. 

KADEX 2026, one of the largest defence industry exhibitions in Korea, is happening from 6 October to 10 October 2026.

The next ADM Women’s Walk will take place at Land Forces in Perth on the 7th October 2026.

The 4th Annual ADM Western Australia Defence Summit will take place at the Ritz Carlton Perth on 9 October 2026.

December

Adelaide has been confirmed as the host city for Undersea Defence Technology in 2026.