South Metropolitan TAFE is celebrating its recognition as the nation's leading defence industry trainer after it was named Academic Institution of the Year at the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards in Canberra.
The national award highlights Western Australia's South Metropolitan TAFE as an academic institution that delivers outstanding work, while strengthening Australia's defence and national security capabilities through participation in the defence industry.
Supported by the McGowan Government's five years of investment in TAFE infrastructure and equipment, South Metropolitan TAFE has a long track record of providing specialist support and job-ready defence, shipbuilding and sustainment workers.
The TAFE's dedicated defence industry trades campus at Naval Base was established by the State Government to help meet growing demand for defence shipbuilding training, and has capacity to train 118 students per day, across 45 welding bays with state-of-the-art equipment.
Its Maritime Training Centre in Fremantle also provides student opportunities to develop capability in an immersive, world-class marine simulation centre, multi-functional labs and a fleet of training vessels.
South Metropolitan TAFE is also collaborating with defence industries to drive the Defence Industry Pathways Program funded by the Australian Government, which offers 12-month traineeships enabling people to get practical industry experience across a variety of defence career options and helps facilitate employment with world-leading employers.
Defence industry training and career support provided by South Metropolitan TAFE also contributed to its awards success. A dedicated defence industry team located at the Rockingham Jobs and Skills Centre works with jobseekers and employers to provide advice on training pathways to employment in the defence industry. The team also promotes defence industries careers in schools and has links with WA universities.
The Jobs and Skills Centre is one of 17 such centres located at TAFE colleges across WA, which can be contacted on 13 64 64 or visit www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/skillsready.
As stated by Acting Education and Training Minister Rita Saffioti:
"South Metropolitan TAFE has a strong reputation in the defence sector and provides incredible opportunities for Western Australians to enter the industry or advance their careers, so it is fantastic that this has been recognised and celebrated at a national level.
"I commend everyone involved in producing a world-class training program that closely links TAFE with industry and ensures a pipeline of skilled workers for our future workforce.
"Western Australia's world-leading defence industry plays an important role in the State's economy and economic diversification, and this national recognition of the programs at South Metropolitan TAFE reinforces our commitment to defence industry training and initiatives."
As stated by Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia:
"This award shows WA's defence industry is producing the leaders of tomorrow who will use expertise and innovation to help keep our nation safe.
"At a time when Australia's defence force posture is under review, South Metropolitan TAFE's recognition as the nation's leading defence industry trainer is yet another reason why WA is best placed to play a bigger role in the nation's defence.
"As part of the McGowan Government's ongoing support for the State's defence industry, next month we will be taking South Metropolitan TAFE and dozens of other WA businesses to Land Forces, Australia's biggest army expo, connecting defence leaders with WA's leading defence innovators."
As stated by South Metropolitan TAFE Managing Director Terry Durant:
"This national award recognises our defence industry training capabilities and reinforces our commitment to developing a pipeline of skilled talent for the industry.
"With more than two decades of working with WA's defence shipbuilding and sustainment industry, South Metropolitan TAFE has a proven track record of producing job-ready workers."
