The paradigm shift of the Australian workforce created by the pandemic has focussed a spotlight on the education and training sector. Universities and TAFEs have spent the last few years analysing their operations and curriculum.
Aside from the modes of education delivery, RMIT has used this time to scrutinise the relevance of its courses and programs against today’s employment market, industry trends and needs.
One focus of the University is the training and upskilling of personnel working in the defence sector, through its dedicated defence, space, and aviation entities.
The Sir Lawrence Wackett Defence and Aerospace Centre represents RMIT’s disciplines spanning STEM, business, law, design and social sciences in research, education, and training. This university- wide defence centre provides a direct link between RMIT’s subject matter experts and the defence sector, with a record of accomplishment for delivering impact to defence industries for more than three decades.
This expertise is in high demand by defence primes, small to medium enterprises and start-ups, to support and expand their own research and development, and workforce, and to collaborate on projects funded by Defence.
RMIT’s Space Industry Hub, connects local businesses and research capabilities with global opportunities in space technology. The Hub brings together experts from cyber, data analytics, space manufacturing, space domain awareness systems, communications, and sensors.
Also working with the Hub, are geospatial scientists from the Satellite Positioning for Atmosphere, Climate and Environment Research Centre, the Robotic Optical Observatory Telescope at the Bundoora Campus (pictured), and academics delivering Australia’s unique Bachelor of Space Science.
The synergy between The Sir Lawrence Wackett Defence and Aerospace Centre and the Space Industry Hub has strengthened the University’s commitment to supporting the defence and space sectors aligned to Australia’s defence and space priorities.
Two recent initiatives created by RMIT to support the workforce needs of the Australian Defence Forces and the broader aviation industry, are the RMIT Aviation Academy and the Department of Defence sponsored, Australian Defence Logistics College.
The RMIT Aviation Academy offers commercially facing products and services in response to skills needs and growth opportunities both nationally and internationally. The Academy is at the forefront of aviation education and innovation and is leading in pilot training with the most modern and largest owned aviation fleet in the Australian higher education sector.
The Australian Defence Logistics College provides vocational education training services to enable Defence’s Joint Logistics Command to provide quality joint and common training to ensure interoperability and industry accreditation.
Across the University there are also industry advisory boards with memberships consisting of senior and executive level professionals and technical experts representing industry, Defence, government, not-for-profit organisations, and peak bodies.
There are also formal partnerships with industry and Defence that allows students to gain industry experience through capstone projects, work placements, internships, scholarships, and research projects.
By collaborating with defence industry and Defence, RMIT, at its higher and vocational education levels, is striving to meet the current skills and employment challenges faced by the defence, aviation and space sectors and their adjacent industries.
By Rosy Calabro
