Name: Defence Teaming Centre
Price range: $

Defence Industry Leadership Program

DEFENCE INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM VETERAN SCHOLARSHIP

The South Australian Government has joined forces with the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC), to introduce a new scholarship that opens doors for local veterans to emerge as leaders in Australia’s defence industry.

Co-funded by Veterans SA and the DTC, the scholarship pilot will support a South Australian veteran to participate in the DTC’s sector-leading 2026 Defence Industry Leadership Program (DILP).

Delivered over nine months, DILP helps participants develop practical leadership skills, build industry connections and graduate with a nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

be an Australian veteran residing in South Australia
be seeking leadership or advancement opportunities within the defence industry.

Don’t miss the opportunity to join more than 400 DILP graduates building strategic leadership in Australia’s defence industry and see where it could take you!

Scholarship applications for 2026 close on February 20.

The 2026 Defence Industry Leadership Program will begin on March 5.

What the Scholarship covers

The scholarship covers items included in the normal course fee, including all course materials, catering at workshops, site tours, field trips, entry to networking events, graduation, Diploma of Leadership & Management, and complementary ticket to the DTC's Defence Industry Dinner & Awards Ceremony.

Exclusions

Airfares for any interstate field trips are not included in the course fee and must be covered separately by the participant.

DESIGNED BY DEFENCE INDUSTRY FOR DEFENCE LEADERS OF TOMORROW

The Defence Industry Leadership Program (DILP) has played a pivotal role in nurturing the growth of more than 400 defence industry leaders since its establishment in 2010.

Within the context of the rapidly evolving Australian defence landscape, the demand for adept, forward-looking, and collaborative leadership is paramount. Such leaders are essential to effectively steer through challenges, welcome innovation, and secure industry's role in both national security and economic prosperity.

With a focus on addressing the workforce development requirements of our aspiring upcoming leaders, the Defence Industry Leadership Program is highly regarded as the flagship leadership program for Australia's defence industry.

DILP is a leadership program co-ordinated and delivered by the Defence Teaming Centre (DTC) in collaboration with registered training provider, SkillsLab (a Tetra Tech company). This comprehensive program is designed to nurture and elevate your core leadership abilities within the distinctive context of Australia's defence industry.

Through face-to-face workshops, and experiential learning, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to effectively lead and manage multi-party collaborations and understand the complexity of the defence industry. You will gain proficiency in self-leadership and self-awareness and become comfortable applying adaptive leadership in challenging environments.

You will hear presentations from senior Defence/industry specialists, engage with industry through site visits and build highly valuable relationships with other participants on the course.

Upon completion of the course graduates will receive, through our partner Skills Lab, a nationally recognised Diploma of Leadership and Management. 

"Compared to other leadership programs, DILP was much more practical, offered real-world experiences, facilitated formal and informal opportunities to network, and also provided course material and relevant readings to help reinforce the learnings." - Allan Mankavil, Boeing Defence Australia

“I’m delighted to be the Ambassador for the Defence Industry Leadership Program,
and I congratulate the Defence Teaming Centre for creating it”. Hon Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry

Apply for 2026

Defence Industry Leadership Program