Flinders University has this week hosted a major multi‑partner signing ceremony to formally welcome the 2026 commencing cohorts of South Australia's innovative Degree Apprenticeship programs.
As South Australia's leading provider of degree-based apprenticeships, Flinders now partners with a broad consortium of industry to deliver engineering qualifications to students embedding degree‑level study into on‑the‑job training, and paid employment.
Adelaide University also continues to partner with industry to support its 2026 student cohort in the Software Engineering Degree Apprenticeship.
The signing event took place at Flinders University's City Campus in Festival Plaza on Wednesday 18 February, bringing the state's universities together with industry leaders, government representatives, employers and degree-apprentices to mark the next stage of the innovative earn‑and‑learn model.
The event also acknowledged the commitment of apprentices and the leadership of industry partners who are helping to deliver a new pipeline of skilled engineers for the state's future.
This year, Flinders launched its inaugural Electrical and Electronic Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Program, led by ASC and joined by Redarc and the T2D Alliance.
Flinders University will also introduce the Civil Engineering Based Apprenticeship Program in 2027, further supporting South Australia's need for work‑ready engineers across critical public and private projects.
The Mechanical Engineering Degree‑ Apprenticeship, now entering its second year, includes inaugural partner ASC and has expanded to include additional partners BAE Systems, and the T2D Alliance, demonstrating strong demand for the model across the defence and infrastructure sectors. 17 Mechanical and 6 Electrical and Electronic Flinders degree-apprentices attended the signing ceremony to embark on their journeys alongside joining the existing 9 Mechanical Apprentices.
mechanical engineering degree-apprenticeship.
Findon Technical College graduate, Lili, is among a new wave of talent entering the nation's submarine and defence industry through an innovative education and employment pathway.
"The great thing about engineering is there's so much to learn about! I'm also looking forward to gaining practical experience while I'm learning. It's hard to get this experience while studying, which is why the Degree Apprenticeship pathway works so well," she said.
"I feel like ASC provides lots of opportunities to travel, and travel is something I'd like to do. I know there are submarine bases in Hawaii and the UK, and that's really exciting."
These three pathways, which have all been approved and declared by the South Australian Skills Commission, join the existing degree apprenticeship currently available for software engineering at Adelaide University.
This software engineering program includes partners BAE Systems, ASC, SAAB and Consunet, who participated in the signing event alongside 10 new degree-apprentices joining the existing 20 degree apprentices, marking the ongoing delivery of the Software Engineering Degree‑Based Apprenticeship.
The Degree Apprenticeship program is one of 22 initiatives outlined in the South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills (SADIWS) Report and Action Plan, designed to address critical STEM skills shortages. It targets both entry-level talent and mid-career transitions, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals.
The degree apprenticeship program is a partnership between universities, the defence industry and supply chain businesses to create 375 new apprenticeships, supported by joint funding of $2.5 million by the Australian and South Australian governments to 2028.
This represents an important step toward streamlining and expanding a coordinated, statewide approach to degree‑based pathways.
Flinders University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Romy Lawson said Flinders is breaking down barriers to education.
"By revolutionising pathways to launch careers, students can now earn an engineering degree in a real-world work context, while receiving a regular pay cheque.
"Our pioneering degree apprenticeships will fast-track skilled mechanical, electrical and civil engineers into critical sectors such as defence, renewables and infrastructure, combining paid industry experience with a world-class qualification - the perfect career launchpad.
"Building on the success of our mechanical engineering pathway, Flinders' new engineering programs equip students with degree-level qualifications and practical skills, helping them get great jobs, while meeting industry needs head-on."
Commissioner Cameron Baker, Chair of the South Australian Skills Commission, said South Australia continues to lead the nation in establishing degree apprenticeship pathways that effectively connect vocational and higher education and deliver the skilled workforce our industries need.
"Degree apprenticeships deliver pathways that align with real project requirements and ensure that apprentices get meaningful on-the-job experience faster.
"The South Australian Skills Commission welcomes today's milestone and remains focused on delivering an agile, industry-driven skills system to deliver the pipeline of skilled workers crucial to deliver South Australia's major infrastructure projects over the next decade and beyond."
