The Australian
Defence industry has been strengthened through the successful
implementation of a new industry training program, the Minister
Assisting the Minister for Defence, Bruce Billson, said today.
"After signing a three year Skilling Australia's Defence
Industry (SADI) Agreement with ADI Limited in October 2005,
the first training courses are up and running," Mr Billson
said. "Forty seven people, including ADI employees and
members of the wider Bendigo community, are benefiting from
an opportunity to improve existing
qualifications and develop new skills, essential to the continued
excellence of the Defence industry in Australia.
"The SADI Program is an important Australian Government
initiative announced in 2004, to enhance skills training collaboration
with the Defence industry and to ensure Australia has the
home grown ability to meet many of our Defence needs. "Assistance
from the SADI program has enabled ADI to enhance their existing
suite of Project Management programs that vary from a three
day introduction to project management to Masters' qualifications.
Working in close collaboration with Defence, ADI Bendigo is
offering additional course
places in their Integrated Logistics Support, Advanced Welding
and Hydraulics and Pneumatics programs in 2006.
"Highly skilled people have always been they key to an
effective Defence Force and the Australian Government is committed
to an ADF with outstanding capability, able to successfully
meet humanitarian and military challenges in Australia and
around the world. "Over the next ten years the Australian
Government is investing up to $215 million, or 0.5 per cent
of spending on major Defence capital equipment projects, to
help defence industry generate additional skilled positions,
up-skill existing employees and improve skills training.
"The Australian Government is committed to supporting
our troops with world class equipment and creating a robust
local Defence industry with a strong and evolving skills base,"
Mr Billson said.