Defence Youth Development
Public Skills Australia is working in partnership with the Australian Defence College to develop vocational training products that create career and learning pathways into the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Defence industry, and the Australian Public Service (APS).
Project Overview (August to April)
Project Overview
This project has been established to support young Australians engaged in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools, as well as those participating in the Australian Defence Force Cadets and other Defence-affiliated youth development programs. Collectively, these programs engage over 30,000 participants nationwide. They provide structured, military-style experiences underpinned by Defence values and delivered in collaboration with local communities, providing a strong foundation for future employment and national service.
Existing regulatory and packaging rule constraints currently prevent the DEF21115 Certificate II in Military Skills from being delivered through VET in Schools and other youth development programs, highlighting the need to modernise the qualifications to ensure contemporary alignment with safety standards while supporting Defence-aligned pathways.
This project aims to redesign the packaging rules of the qualifications to connect youth development with real-world career opportunities, strengthening Australia’s future workforce across Defence and public service sectors.
This project aims to redesign the packaging rules of the qualifications, broadening pathways into Defence thorough unique experiences and engaging training opportunities for young people, strengthening Australia’s future workforce across Defence and public service sectors.
Scope
This project will see the update of two entry level qualifications within the DEF Defence Training Package, including:
- DEF10117 Certificate I in Defence Skills
- DEF21115 Certificate II in Military Skills
Timeline
Commencement: August 2025
Consultation: November – December 2026
Governance and Finalisation: January – March 2026
Completion: April 2026
Technical Committee Nomination
To nominate for the project technical committee, please fill out the registrations form here: Technical Committee Registration.
Nominations must be submitted by close of business on the 31st of August 2025.
Technical Committee meetings will commence in September 2025.