Babcock Australasia has joined the list of companies breaking records in the defence industry in 2024.

Starting this month, a record 69 graduates will take part in Babcock’s Graduate Program, gaining first-hand work experience supporting contracts for Collins Class submarines, High Frequency Communications and the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet. This announcement further cements the global defence and aerospace company’s commitment to upskilling the next generation of defence industry workers.

Almost half the graduates will be based in Adelaide (34), with other graduates in the 2024 intake located in New Zealand (20), Perth (11), Sydney (3) and Melbourne (1). During the program, graduates will hone their skills across critical focus areas such as engineering, project management, environment, procurement and supply chain.

Babcock Australasia Executive Director People & Safety Sue Whitford said the success of the graduate program reiterates Babcock’s growing presence in the region and its commitment to supporting the next generation to gain opportunities in industry.

“Babcock’s Graduate Program supports our best and brightest young people to develop technical and leadership skills while allowing them to gain fantastic career opportunities through personal development and networking opportunities,” Ms Whitford said.

This news follows BAE Systems’ recent announcement of a record number of apprentices (40) joining this year’s Hunter class frigate program at the Osborne Naval Shipyard, demonstrating the growing support from South Australian employers to support early career starters to gain a foothold in the defence industry.

Both BAE Systems and Babcock are among the recently named Top 100 Graduate Employers, joining the list of defence industry frontrunners with a strong South Australian presence including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Nova Systems.

Learn more about the early career opportunities on offer at Babcock.