Make your next career move to SA
SA is rapidly becoming the hub of high tech industrial, shipbuilding and information systems and job opportunities abound.
South Australia is bringing together the brightest minds to work on the most technologically advanced Defence projects in our nation’s history.
Osborne Naval Shipyard is considered the most advanced naval shipyard in the world, encompassing digital techniques to accommodate $90bn worth of projects, including the Attack class submarine and Hunter class frigate programs, and the Offshore Patrol Vessel program which is already well under way.
A career in SA’s naval shipbuilding industry can span decades, with projects representing 30-plus years of work. There are jobs to design, code and manufacture, and install the combat, radar and other software-intensive systems on these vessels. Our major maritime defence companies are currently looking for skilled specialists, particularly in careers such as engineering (combat systems, systems and structural), design (drafters) and integrated logistics support (ILS).
Beyond naval shipbuilding, SA is fast establishing itself as the nation’s hub of information warfare capabilities, bringing other opportunities for highly skilled workers. Work is continuing on the P-8A aircraft, JORN Phase 6 and the Australian Defence Force’s surveillance and targeting capabilities, which are supported by unmanned aerial systems, with Edinburgh the ground control station for Triton and Sky Guardian. Demand in this sector for information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), software, hardware and electronics engineering skill sets is increasing. The emerging cyber security and space industries are also high growth areas for SA. Any doubt about the longevity and national importance of the industry is quashed by the recent Federal Budget, 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan, which includes $575bn of Defence funding over the next 10 years, including a $270bn investment in Defence capability.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has also taught us that the defence industry is highly resilient with the capability to drive the nation’s economic recovery. Investment at a Federal level will further strengthen our sovereign capability and support supply chain maturity and growth.
The latest Defence Industry Insights report from Kinexus reveals that defence industry salaries are comparable or in some cases higher in SA when compared with Victoria, NSW and Western Australia; the salary for a combat systems engineer in SA ranges from $100k up to $195k (depending on years of experience), compared with $90k for the other states, with only NSW having a higher top-range of $200k.
But it’s more than just a good career move. Adelaide is 16 per cent more affordable than Melbourne and 28 per cent more affordable than Sydney, with commuters also spending 20 minutes less time in traffic. Adelaide also has the lowest residential property prices of all Australian mainland capital cities and is consistently ranked in the top 10 most liveable cities in the world. There has never been a better time to consider a defence industry career in SA.
Visit findyourplaceSA.com to make your move.
Richard Price is chief executive of Defence SA.