With annual defence budgets in Australia set to top $50b, more and more SMEs are looking to become part of the defence supply chain. However, this can be an extremely challenging and complex landscape to navigate.
Enter the ‘Defence Ready Seminar Series.’ This is run by Hunter Defence, Goal Group, and the Australian Industry Defence Network (AIDN) NSW – and with the support of the Office of Defence Industry Support (ODIS). This unique program is preparing Hunter-based SMEs to succeed in the defence industry.
Tim Owen, Chair of the Hunter Defence Taskforce explained: “the ‘Defence Ready Seminar Series’, which piloted in the Hunter last year, is a first of its kind in regional Australia and is designed to help SMEs progress from being ‘Defence Interested’ to ‘Defence Ready’.”
“It equips organisations with the knowledge and tools to be successful in the defence industry and is run by facilitators with hands-on experience in defence. It is supported by real-life case studies and examples from SMEs who have successfully entered – and operate in – defence supply chains,” he said.
The program has been identified by the Commonwealth Government as an outstanding preparation course for SMEs to compete for defence contracts nationally and internationally and is key to their Global Supply Chain aspirations.
It has also been hailed by industry attendees, Defence Primes, and the Department of Defence as the most comprehensive offering to support regional SMEs that has been developed nationally.
The 2022 series has kicked off with the first of 13 modules in the program fully subscribed and now underway, however there are still opportunities for local businesses to be involved.
Organisations can register their interest for the remaining courses and Hunter-based SMEs may also qualify for one of the forty fully funded places available for each of the modules on offer*.
The courses in the series that are still open for registration – and cut off dates for expressions of interest – are as follows:
- Defence Legal Considerations – EOIs close April 6
- Defence Industry Collaboration: Power of Many – EOIs close April 11
- Defence Cyber Regulatory Controls – EOIs close May 4
- Defence Technology Controls – EOIs close May 10
- Defence ISO Advanced – EOIs close June 7
- Defence Industry’s Workforce: Resilience and Wellbeing – EOIs close June 15
- Defence Industry Business Continuity Essentials – EOIs close June 20
- Defence Relevant Data: Security Fundamentals – EOIs close July 5
For more information visit Defence Ready Seminar Series today.
* Please note: The Department of Defence has set very clear guidance around the criteria for access to one of the forty funded places within each of the courses. If your organisation is successful in achieving a funded place in one of these courses, Hunter Defence will let you know three (3) weeks before your selected seminars(s) of interest are due to start.
IMAGE | Bret Barton, CEO Goal Group, Steven Tolley, HunterNet Chairman, The Hon. Melissa Price M, Tim Owen AM, HunterNet Defence Industry Adviser and Chair – Hunter Defence Task Force and Boris Novak, HunterNet Industry Advisor
