Mr Peter Hamilton 

Born in Whyalla in 1942, I became a communications engineer and served in the communications arm of the Australian Army for 21 years. After graduating from the Royal Military College (63) and RMIT I served in strategic and tactical communications including 13 months in South Vietnam with the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat in the late sixties. A stint with the US Army School of Signals and the Satellite Communications Agency, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, followed in 1969-70. I returned to the USA in 1979 to spend three years at the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. in a communications-electronics, military and industry liaison role, particularly in doctrinal development and equipment acquisition. I have held a variety of line and staff postings, principally in command, control and communications, and including Commanding Officer of 6 Signal Regiment, and staff appointments at Army HQ and the Dept of Defence in Canberra. I was an Instructor in Signals at the Royal Military College in 1973 and am a graduate of the Australian Staff College and the US Armed Forces Staff College.

On leaving the Army in 1984, I joined AWA Ltd to establish the Canberra Corporate Office representing all divisions of that diverse Company to the Federal Government. I subsequently joined British Aerospace Australia in Adelaide in 1987 and managed the Space and Communications Division of that Company. A major focus on satellite communications, earth terminal development, Aussat spacecraft manufacture and space based remote sensing were features of this period.

In the early 90s I conducted the successful Advanced Engineering Centre proposal process for the three SA Universities and TAFE. This led to the establishment of the Australian Information Technology Engineering Centre in Adelaide in late 1992, a joint venture between the three SA Universities and TAFE, which operated as a successful information technology and telecommunications training company with business in Australia, Asia and Europe. I became the Managing Director of the Centre in January 1994 after a period as acting CEO

I left AITEC in mid 1999 and joined the Electronics Industry Association as Executive Director. I also undertook roles with Engineers Australia in assessing eligibility for Chartered Status and in the establishment of National Graduate Development Programs. I followed a long term interest in home electronics and established a consultancy in that field, in 2002. I joined the Defence and Systems Institute (DASI)in September 2006.

Since that time I have been involved in addressing the skills shortages in the burgeoning Defence Industry in South Australia. This has involved the development of a completely new Associate Degree Program addressing the need to upskill experienced tradespeople to Engineering Associate level. This commenced in on-campus mode but has now been fully adapted for on-line delivery, a most interesting exercise.

I am now investigating the role of para-professionals as part of the engineering workforce in technology intensive industries facing major changes in the 21st century. Such industries include the defence industry but also the energy (electricity & gas) industries, water, advanced manufacturing, rail and the resources industry among others. The changes which are impacting so strongly upon them include climate change, demographic changes, including the ageing workforce, constant and frequent changes in core and supporting technologies, energy security and efficiency and changes to the structure of the industry, both business and regulatory.

I have taught in a range of environments including Australia, New Zealand and the USA, as well as in Asia and the Middle East, where English was a second language.

• Defence Industry Skills Formation
• Electronics Industry Skills Formation
• Teaching Methods for Mature Students
• Engineering education
• eLearning in the engineering environment
• Program Director, Associate Degree in Engineering (Defence Systems) LTDS
• Engineering and technology management
• Project Management

Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia (FIEAust)

Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (MIEEE)

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng)

Member, Systems Engineering Society of Australia

Member, INCOSE

Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors (1986-2005)

Graduate, The Royal Military College of Australia (63)

ARMIT (Comm Eng)(66)

Graduate, Australian Staff College (76)

Graduate, United States Armed Forces Staff College (80)

• Defence and Systems Engineering
• eLearning in the engineering environment
• The role of para-professionals in the engineering industries

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Engineering

• Engineering training and education
• Workforce planning