Flinders University Pioneers Degree Apprenticeships to Tackle Skills Shortages
Degree apprenticeships at Flinders University represent a fundamental transformation in how higher education institutions respond to industry demand, skills shortages, and rapid technological change. By enabling students to earn a salary while completing fully accredited university degrees, these innovative programs are establishing a new pipeline of job-ready graduates for sectors critical to South Australia's economic future.
"Degree apprenticeships exemplify how universities are evolving to meet the changing needs of communities and industries we serve," explains Romy Lawson, senior deputy vice-chancellor at Flinders University. "We're preparing students for positions that didn't even exist ten years ago."
From Classroom to Worksite – and Back Again
Flinders launched its inaugural degree apprenticeship in mechanical engineering in 2025, directly addressing workforce shortages across advanced manufacturing, defence, renewables, and infrastructure. The program integrates structured university study with immersive, paid workplace experience, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-time scenarios.
The first intake featured nine apprentices placed with defence company ASC, supported by both Australian and South Australian governments. Within months, these students were making meaningful contributions to their teams – a result Lawson attributes to robust industry co-design.
The model has proven so successful that placements are expanding significantly in 2026, with seventeen mechanical engineering apprenticeship positions and six new places in electrical and electronic engineering across defence and construction employers.
"We've co-designed and co-delivered courses with industry to ensure students graduate career-ready," Lawson emphasizes. "This initiative aligns with our commitment to national priorities like advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding."
For students like Emilia, now a first-year mechanical engineering apprentice at ASC, the hands-on nature of the program has been transformative. "This apprenticeship provides extensive exposure to real practices," she shares. "I visit the workshop, see what I'm actually working on, and then implement solutions. I didn't anticipate it being so practical."
Equally significant is the motivation derived from contributing to nationally important projects. "Understanding you're contributing to something larger on a national scale genuinely provides a deeper sense of purpose," Emilia notes.
Engineering the Future Workforce
While mechanical engineering served as the starting point, Flinders' ambition for degree apprenticeships extends far beyond a single discipline. A new Electrical and Electronic Engineering Degree Apprenticeship will equip students with skills to design, build, and maintain systems powering modern life – from defence technologies and renewable energy networks to intelligent transport and smart infrastructure.
A Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship is scheduled to commence in 2027, supported by the River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Alliance, ensuring apprentices gain experience on major construction projects as South Australia's infrastructure pipeline expands.
"South Australia leads in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, automation, and innovative healthcare, and is uniquely positioned to support national defence priorities," Lawson states. "Degree apprenticeships accelerate skill development in the state's most in-demand fields by enabling students to work alongside industry professionals."
Graduates complete full Washington Accord-accredited honours degrees, permitting them to work globally while graduating with up to five years of paid industry experience. Flinders is now planning to expand this successful apprenticeship model to additional disciplines over the coming year.
Opening Doors Earlier – and Wider
Degree apprenticeships welcome both school leavers and mature-age students, with entry requirements matching standard engineering degrees, including mathematics prerequisites. Apprentices secure employment through competitive recruitment processes with industry partners, ensuring placements are purposeful and valued.
Critically, Flinders is reshaping pathways into higher education through partnerships with South Australia's new technical colleges. Students enrolled at Findon Technical College – with Tonsley and The Heights opening this year – can begin degree apprenticeship pathways while still in Year 12.
Through this nation-leading initiative, students complete their first year of a Flinders degree alongside their SACE, accelerating their transition into high-skill careers. To qualify, students fulfill SACE requirements in Year 11 at a technical college, alongside a university preparatory program, then enter Year 12 with a guaranteed university place.
"This partnership focuses on building a specialized workforce to support the state's economic future," Lawson explains. "It also creates opportunities for young people who might not otherwise consider university as an option."
Industry Partnerships That Go Beyond Placement
ASC serves as Flinders' lead degree apprenticeship partner, with others including BAE Systems, REDARC, and the Torrens to Darlington Alliance. These employers provide on-the-job training under experienced supervisors, ensuring apprentices gain genuine responsibility rather than mere observation.
Flinders' extensive history of defence collaboration has established it as a trusted partner, particularly as Australia enhances its sovereign defence capabilities.
"Following the success of our industry partnerships, we're scaling up efforts to train a suitably skilled pipeline of workers supporting the AUKUS submarine program and growing sovereign defence capabilities," Lawson reveals. "The ongoing launch of our degree apprenticeship curriculum reflects the success of Flinders' collaborative approach with industry partners."
Beyond Apprenticeships: Research Embedded in Industry
Flinders' approach to workforce development extends beyond undergraduate education. The university is a national leader in industry-embedded PhDs, with over one hundred industry-engaged doctoral projects across sectors including biotech, defence, sustainability, and social impact.
Industry PhD candidates work directly with organizations to address real-world challenges, either through short-term internships or fully co-designed PhD programs. These partnerships accelerate innovation while building internal capability for employers.
"Partnering with Flinders on research and development means accessing our expertise and innovation culture," Lawson affirms. "It's a mutually beneficial collaboration."
The university also excels in the Commonwealth's National Industry PhD Program, demonstrating a high rate of successful applications.
Innovation with Community Impact
Flinders' workforce strategy is shaped by issues South Australians care about most. Through the Flinders Wicked Problems Report – informed by feedback from thirty thousand Australians – the university directs research and training toward cost of living pressures, healthcare access, housing, and environmental sustainability.
At Tonsley, Flinders' Factory of the Future unites researchers, students, and businesses to prototype and scale advanced manufacturing solutions. Recent collaborations include modernizing soil sensor production with Sentek Technologies and developing surgical training models with Fusetec.
In healthcare, Flinders' new HealthCARE Centre at Bedford Park – backed by a $150 million federal co-investment matched by the university – will deliver ten thousand additional health appointments and graduate thirteen hundred more health professionals annually.
A New Model for Skills and Productivity
At a time when Australia faces productivity challenges and critical skills shortages, Flinders' degree apprenticeships offer a practical, scalable solution that aligns education with employment and learning with impact.
"Universities shape our future workforce while serving as launchpads for research breakthroughs and innovation," Lawson concludes. "These are vital economic drivers, highlighted by national conversations about lifting Australia's productivity."
With twenty thousand Flinders students undertaking work-integrated learning each year, degree apprenticeships represent the next evolution – blending paid work, world-class education, and industry partnership into a single pathway. For students, employers, and the state alike, this model is designed not just for today's jobs but for the South Australian – and global – jobs of the future.
Romy Lawson was keynote speaker at InDaily's South Australian Business Index event in 2025.
