By Darian Macey, August 27 2025
This month marked a major milestone with the successful delivery of the first Mastering Defence Infrastructure course in Darwin.
Over two intensive days, seven participants explored the full Defence project lifecycle — from early opportunity spotting, through planning and delivery frameworks, to understanding procurement strategies and industry engagement.
The course blended practical insights with hands-on activities, culminating in a capstone exercise where participants were tasked with drafting an executive summary for a real upcoming tender. This exercise brought together everything learned — strategic positioning, risk awareness, and clear communication — in a way that mirrored the demands of industry.
Feedback from participants highlighted the course’s impact. Jess Lew Fatt of Larrakon reflected:
“Mastering Defence Infrastructure was a highly beneficial and insightful experience. I gained valuable knowledge, engaged in meaningful discussions, and had the opportunity to connect with some wonderful people in this field.”
The program concluded with a certificate ceremony, celebrating not only the successful completion of the course but also the transition of these professionals into the Defence industry with a stronger foundation of knowledge and confidence.
This inaugural course was made possible with the support of the Northern Territory Department of People, Sport and Culture, who share our vision of equipping veterans with the tools to thrive in Australia’s Defence infrastructure sector.
With Darwin as the starting point, MDI will now roll out nationally, providing a platform for veterans, SMEs, and those new to the sector to deepen their understanding of Security & Estate Group and build lasting networks.
Author: Darian Macey
Darian is a former Engineering Officer with the RAE with tertiary qualifications in Engineering and Project Management. He is a leading practitioner within Australia's NSI sector with previous employment in Government, project management and building contractor organisations.
