27 June 2016
The University of South Australia and the Indigenous Defence Consortium (IDC) will formalise a new collaboration today designed to advance and support business and education opportunities in the defence industries for new generations of Aboriginal leaders.
UniSA Vice Chancellor, Professor David Lloyd, and CEO of Indigenous Defence Consortium, Adam Goodes will sign a memorandum of understanding that will see UniSA support skills development through its educational offerings in areas such as science and systems engineering, right through to business administration, supply chain management, business marketing and growth and entrepreneurship.
The Indigenous Defence Consortium (IDC) was established to help Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs capitalise on the National Innovation and Science Agenda by delivering skills, innovations, services and supplies to Australian infrastructure projects in the defence sector.
UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd says the MOU outlines key areas where the University can support the growth of Indigenous business opportunities.
“Now with a strong commitment to the future of defence industry shipbuilding in South Australia, this is the right time to be exploring all the possibilities we have here for growth,” Prof Lloyd says.
“These projects are longer-term and they allow for planning – so that students qualifying in engineering, business administration, project management or similar skills in the next few years can rightly be targeting employment opportunities in the defence sector when they finish their education.
“In developing this MOU, UniSA will be able to bring a host of resources to support the aims of the IDC.
“Through our mentoring and encouragement of Aboriginal students to participate in higher education; our partnership with AIME; incentives such as UniSA’s Indigenous MBA Scholarships; business education opportunities through our Centre for Business Growth where we have just made available 10 scholarships for Aboriginal businesses, and underpinned by the signing of the MOU, we aim to support the efforts of the IDC to open up more opportunities for Aboriginal students and businesses.”
Adam Goodes says the partnership with UniSA will help to enable and activate stronger Indigenous engagement in the ongoing shipbuilding program in South Australia.
“The partnership with UniSA has the scope to bring benefits not only to Aboriginal-owned or operated businesses, but also to budding entrepreneurs and to young people with a dream to use their creativity and capacities in sciences, engineering, maths and other relevant fields, to work in the defence industry,” Goodes says.
“We are excited about the potential of this partnership to strengthen Indigenous participation in both education and innovation and to empower Indigenous employers to take their place supporting growth and excellence in the defence sector.”
Media contact: Michèle Nardelli mobile: +61 418 823 673 email: michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au
