Manufacturing news briefs - stories you might have missed

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

12 September 2023 14:14

By Staff Reporter

Boeing Defence sees biggest trades intake

Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has welcomed eight apprentices in the largest single intake to the company’s trades workforce. The apprentices, who have graduated from Aviation Australia’s (AA) 80-day Certificate II in Aircraft Line Maintenance, will join BDA’s F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler maintenance program at RAAF Base Amberley. They take apprentice numbers across all of Boeing Australia to 44. “As the sustainment provider for the most Australian Defence Force (ADF) platforms, we’re building a stronger sovereign trades workforce to support fleet upgrades, increased fleet sizes, and the introduction of the Apache,” said Mike Prior, BDA’s director of Product Support, Training & Maintenance, on Tuesday. Graduate Daniel Gaskin spent 12 years in automotive mechanics before being accepted into the apprentice program. “This opportunity has allowed me to meld my mechanical background with a genuine interest in aircraft mechanics and engineering,” Gaskin said.

Medical devices vigilance program pilot

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is commencing a new Medical Devices Vigilance Program (MDVP), which begins as a 12-month pilot. According to the TGA, the pilot is designed to support medical device sponsors in complying with regulation and give the public confidence that sponsors are meeting their responsibilities. Sponsors who have medical devices included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) are able to volunteer. Sponsors need to have systems in place to monitor the performance of the devices they supply, receive, update and maintain information about their devices and report details of adverse event and performance issues to us. The MDVP pilot aims to identify areas that may require improvement, to ensure there is appropriate monitoring and communications to support the ongoing safety of medical devices available to the Australian public. Those interested in volunteering can see more information at this link.

Discussion underway on reforming skilled migrant assessments

The federal government released a discussion paper on Monday seeking feedback from stakeholders on the new standards for skilled migration assessment authorities. The paper sets out draft principles and standards, outlines current skills assessment practices and proposed improvements to the way that skills assessments are conducted. The current skills assessment process was described as complex, costly and lengthy in a statement, and a completed Migration Review has called for actions to improve and streamline recognition of overseas skills to help migrants enter the labour market at a level commensurate with their qualifications. The discussion paper can be accessed here, and submissions close on October 23.TCF industry prepares to mark Ethical Clothing Australia Week

Accreditation body Ethical Clothing Australia is preparing to mark Ethical Clothing Australia Week 2023, which it describes as a celebration of ethical manufacturing in the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry. The week runs from October 19 – 15 and is “an opportunity for the public to champion Australian businesses who have gone beyond just stating their operations are ethical and have taken action to certify they are ethical by” by achieving ECA certification, the organisation said in a statement on Tuesday. It added that, above all, ECA Week is an “opportunity to celebrate, recognise and acknowledge the 489,000 skilled workers in Australia,” more than 77 per cent of which are female. The event will be a hybrid program with both digital and in-person events. There would be an “opportunity to go behind the scenes with local manufacturers and brands Denimsmith, Vince Clothing, Melco Fabrics, Next State Printers, Remuse and Knovus Knitwear” it added.

Imugene awarded Japanese patent for anti-cancer vaccine

ASX-listed clinical-stage immuno-oncology company Imugene has announced the granting of a new patent for its clinical drug candidate by the Japanese Patent Office. The company says the new patent concerns its immunotherapeutic PD1-Vaxx, a first-in-class programmed death-1 (PD1) vaccine, and which currently in clinical development for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The patent will expire in March 2038 and protects the composition of matter and method of treatment in cancer for PD1-Vaxx for the generation of a therapeutic antibody response against the PD1 checkpoint target. Managing Director and CEO Leslie Chong said, “Attaining the key Japanese patent, on top of gaining protection in the USA this year, is a very important milestone. Recruitment in the Phase 1 PD1-Vaxx trial, as monotherapy or in combination with atezolizumab in adults with NonSmall Cell Lung Cancer, has increased markedly recently with strong interest from new clinical sites to participate in this innovative study”.

Picture: credit Boeing Defence Australia