WA TAFE awarded at Defence Industry Awards
South Metropolitan TAFE (SM TAFE) was recognised on the national stage at the Australian Defence Industry Awards 2024, winning the Academic Institution of the Year category.
Known as the defence industry’s event of the year, this illustrious awards ceremony was held on 18 July at the National Convention Centre in Canberra with support from principal partner KBR.
SM TAFE was honoured to be announced as one of the 29 winners on the evening, from a selection of 212 finalists.
The Awards program was created in 2019 to shine a light on the leaders in the defence industry, including the most innovative professionals and businesses.
SM TAFE Managing Director, Darshi Ganeson, said that the award is a credit to the dedicated lecturer cohort and teams at the College.
"It was a privilege for SM TAFE to join 700 members of the defence industry to mark the achievements of colleagues and peers.
“We have spent over two decades working in the defence shipbuilding and sustainment industry, with a commitment to producing a pipeline of job-ready workers. This award win is an accolade for our expert lecturers and industry specialists, as well as our students who have worked hard to progress into the field,” Ms Ganeson said.
The award-winning Defence Industry Pathways Program offered at SM TAFE was conceived out of the need to ensure that qualified defence industry-ready people were continually available to join the workforce. With a strong focus on the maritime defence industry, the Defence Industry Pathways Program is a one-year traineeship offering students real-life experience through block training at our Fremantle campus paired with 12-week work placements with our defence industry partners.
SM TAFE has also collaborated with industry to deliver the Women in Defence Industry scholarship, to encourage women to take up a career in defence. Through this scholarship, SM TAFE funds six months of electronics and technical engineering training.
