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In an Australian first, high school students nationwide will soon have access to a groundbreaking government-backed program, Forge Your Future, designed to unlock career pathways into high-demand STEM roles within South Australia’s defence industry.
The initiative, developed by Australian-founded global tech companies WithYouWithMe (WYWM) and Year13, offers students the tools, connections, education and industry experience needed to fast-track their entry into meaningful, well-paid roles with leading defence companies operating in South Australia.
Top employers such as Babcock and BAE Systems have already signed on to support the program by advertising jobs and career opportunities directly to participating students. Over the next 12 months, around 2,500 high school students in South Australia are expected to take part, while more than 1,300 schools across the nation will have access to the program through Year13’s Career Tools platform.
Tom Larter, CEO of WithYouWithMe, said, “The defence industry is rich with career opportunities, but pathways into the sector can be confusing for young people. 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 aims to shine a light on exciting STEM fields in high demand – including engineering, trades, digital and ICT, and program management – and provides practical support to help students build the skills required in these fast-growing areas. Recent research by Year13 found that 27 per cent of young Australians are interested in STEM or trades careers within South Australia’s defence industry, with one in six (16 per cent) even willing to relocate to the state to pursue such opportunities.
Despite this enthusiasm, nearly 29 per cent of young people admit that a lack of awareness of STEM career pathways in the defence sector is a major obstacle. Moreover, a quarter (26 per cent) mistakenly believe that military service is a prerequisite for a career in the defence industry. Forge Your Future seeks to address these misconceptions by educating students on the clear difference between serving in the Australian Defence Force and working for businesses that supply products or services to the ADF.
The comprehensive 12-month program comprises a mix of virtual and in-person activities, including in-school events, online engagement, personalised skills assessments, career matching, interactive e-learning modules, mentoring from industry professionals, virtual work experience and career events with defence industry employers.
The initiative also leverages AI-powered aptitude assessments and predictive analytics to provide students with deep insights into their natural strengths and learning potential, matching them to suitable career pathways with scientific precision.
Will Stubley, co-founder of Year13, added, “Forge Your Future is about connecting young Australians with career opportunities in South Australia’s booming defence industry. This is an exciting sector offering a range of highly rewarding STEM careers. By aligning students’ skills and interests with pathways in shipbuilding and advanced technologies, we’re helping them discover careers that support both their future and our nation’s ambitions. Through this initiative, we’re ensuring that young people leave school informed and ready to take on our nation’s greatest projects and challenges.”
With Australia’s defence industry set to require 20,000 highly skilled workers to support its nuclear-powered submarine ambitions over coming decades, and the shipbuilding and repair sector projected to grow at an annual rate of 11.8 per cent over the next five years, Forge Your Future represents a major strategic investment in the future of Australia’s workforce and its defence capability.
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