High school students across the nation will now have access to a new government-supported initiative called Forge Your Future. Forge Your Future is bringing high-demand STEM careers in SA’s defence industry, including roles in shipbuilding and nuclear-powered submarines, to schools.
Created through a partnership with Australian tech organisations, WithYouWithMe (WYWM) and Year13, the program is providing students with essential tools, education, industry connections and experiences, while helping fast-track their journey into meaningful and lucrative careers in SA’s leading defence companies like Babcock and BAE Systems.
Approximately 2,500 South Australian high school students will get involved with the program over the next year, with over 1,300 schools across Australia gaining access through Year13’s Career Tools platform. Through the program, participants will gain insights into various STEM roles like engineering, digital technologies, ICT, trades, and program management.
Recent studies by Year13 have shown that there’s a strong interest among young Australians in the defence sector, with 27 per cent keen on pursuing STEM or trade careers in this field and 16 per cent considering moving to SA for these opportunities. Despite high interest, 29 per cent reported that a lack of awareness about career paths in the STEM defence industry is what’s holding them back.
According to the research, the majority understand that STEM careers are often well paid and offer job stability, which is why nearly half of the surveyed young individuals are keen to seek more information about these opportunities. There is, however, a misconception among 26 per cent of young people who associate these industry roles with mandatory military service. Forge Your Future wants to clarify that careers in the defence industry are civilian roles supporting the Australian Defence Force through various services and products.
This initiative is coming at a crucial time as Australia’s defence sector faces a significant skills shortage, with a need for 20,000 skilled workers in the coming decades to support its submarine goals.
The Forge Your Future program will combine in-person and online activities, like events, e-learning, mentorships, virtual work experiences, and careers fairs. It will use AI to assess students’ aptitudes and match them to suitable career paths.
Tom Larter, CEO of WYWM, shared, “The defence industry is rich with career opportunities but pathways into the sector are confusing for young people to navigate. Forge Your Future removes the guesswork by connecting students with the right training and employers so they can land work in a fast growing and meaningful sector.
“Forge Your Future is a cutting-edge initiative that uses AI-driven and behavioural science-based assessments to provide students with deep insight into their natural strengths and match them to real career pathways. It flips the traditional workforce model on its head and puts the student in the driver’s seat.”
Will Stubley, Co-Founder of Year13, also shared, “By aligning their skills and interests with pathways in shipbuilding and advanced technologies we’re helping them discover careers that can both support them and their country in the years ahead. Through this initiative we’re ensuring that young people leave school today informed and ready to take on our nation’s greatest projects and challenges.”
Forge Your Future will prepare students for immediate job opportunities while educating and empowering them to tackle some of the nation’s most significant projects and challenges in the future.
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