Australia's Defence Industry Boom: The Massive Opportunity Business Owners Are Missing | with Fred Bkamdin

Australia is entering one of the largest defence and shipbuilding booms in its history. And most business owners have no idea what it means for them. In this episode of In The Trenches, Hanif Ibrahim sits down with Fred Bkamdin — National Business Growth Manager at Energy Power Systems Australia and President of the Australian Industry & Defence Network WA — to unpack one of the most significant economic stories unfolding in Australia right now. This isn't a conversation about military strategy. It's a conversation about economic opportunity, capability building, and how Australian businesses can position themselves to participate in a once-in-a-generation infrastructure and manufacturing investment. What Fred covers: - The scale of Australia's defence investment and how long the pipeline runs - Why this is a sustained economic shift, not a short-term government contract cycle - The urgent demand for skilled workers and specialist suppliers across the supply chain - How small and mid-sized businesses can enter the defence supply chain - The role of collaboration, trust, and quality certifications in winning defence contracts - What Australian businesses stand to gain from the shipbuilding program - Why the stakes in this industry create different commercial dynamics If you're a business owner in manufacturing, engineering, logistics, or professional services — this episode could open a door you didn't know existed. This episode is powered by The Finance Agency — salary-paid finance brokers helping businesses access the finance needed to pursue big opportunities. financeagency.com.au #AustraliaDefence #DefenceIndustry #ShipbuildingAustralia #BusinessOpportunity #BusinessPodcast #InTheTrenches #ManufacturingAustralia #AUKUS #Entrepreneurship