3.29 A key challenge for both DMO and the Australian defence industry is to improve the project management, logistics, procurement and engineering services provided to the Australian Government, within the current and future workforce constraints. For the past several years, it has been one of DMO's goals to professionalise and up-skill their workforce69, as well as to increase the quality and quantity of skilled personnel available to the defence industry.
3.30 To assist with professionalising DMO staff, DMO's Directorate of Professionalisation and Staff Development is responsible for the development of certification programs that focus on developing DMO specific competencies and gaining professional qualifications across the Leadership and Executive Management, Logistics, Project Management, Engineering, and Procurement streams.
3.31 Currently, over 1 200 DMO staff have either been certified or are enrolled in a certification program with a professional body. In contrast, prior to the start of the initiative, DMO had only 153 staff certified in areas of project management, engineering, and accounting.70
3.32 To assist with the up-skilling of participants within the Defence industry, the Skilling Australia's Defence Industry (SADI) program was established by the Australian Government in 2005, with an allocation of $215 million to fund the program over 10 years. The SADI program provides funding support for training and skilling activities where that training is linked to a Defence capability.
3.33 The aim of the SADI program is to fill the current and future skill gaps and shortages that result from the demands of the Defence Capability Plan. The DMO advised that over 80 industry participants have been provided with funding support in trade, technical and some professional skill sets.
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69 Source: http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/about/index.cfm [accessed 29 October 2010].
70 Department of Defence, Defence Annual Report 2005-06, Volume 2, Table 1.1, p.13.