McLachlan notes hardware cannot solve problems in defence without the improvement of recruitment and retention
Adelaide, SA | 24 March, 2023 — Immersive technology company, Lumination, is excited to announce retired Major General, Gus McLachlan, is joining the organisation in an advisory role. With 37 years of experience in the Australian military, McLachlan joins the innovative organisation with the aim of influencing change in the defence industry.
As of December 2022, The Australian Defence Force (ADF) had a shortfall of 3000 personnel, with the Defence Department 1000 staff under its budgeted capacity. Not included in this statistic, the Australian Government estimates that AUKUS will support another 20,000 jobs over the next 30 years across the ADF, the public service and private industry.
“Hardware is important, but the Defence Strategic Review must also consider the human dimension,” says McLachlan. “Lumination offers the defence sector an opportunity to introduce easily integrated virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence technology into the force, which will significantly decrease cost, increasing safety and eliminate barriers to success.”
McLachlan joins Lumination with a passion for innovation technology, responsible for generating Australian Defence capability in cyber space, electronic warfare and command and control systems. Working closely with industry, he led Army modernisation of drones and autonomous systems and the development of an Army innovation system. His military career concluded after he led Land Forces Command, where he was responsible for the training and education of 35,000 women and men of the Army.
“Through our partnership with BAE Systems Australia we saw the opportunity to leverage our experience in the education sector to transform future training capabilities in the defence industry,” says Edward Carlson, CEO of Lumination. “With Gus’ extensive background in the military and his dedication to modernising this space, we believe we can have an impact.”
Lumination won its first defence contract in 2021 working with The Defence Innovation Hub, BAE Systems and the University of South Australia. The Company produced a mobile, AI-driven training and simulation solution for the ADF, which can train military personnel in a variety of environments.
With its roots in education, McLachlan notes the potential Lumination’s innovative Lumination Learning Labs — automated, multipurpose immersive environments — have in the defence space. The Company is now in the second year of running the Beacon program in partnership BAE Systems Australia, a national STEM outreach program that aims to engage students who might not otherwise have access to world leading immersive technology.
“Lumination has the ability to not only equip current students with the skills they need to succeed in the future workforce, but to upskill the current labour pool and modernise how we train employees,” says McLachlan. “The next generation of Gen Z workers are digital natives; with the right technology they can lead our defence force into the future. It’s time we give them the tools to do so.”
Learn more about Lumination at lumination.com.au.
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About Lumination
Lumination is a world leader in immersive technology, creating Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) software to revolutionise the way we teach, learn and work. Founded in 2016, the Company started in a garage in Semaphore, Adelaide, with the goal of disrupting one of the oldest practices in history — the conventional classroom. With a growing team of over 60 employees, Lumination has served over 2 million customers nationally and is rapidly expanding into the defence, government and enterprise sectors. Increasing access to emerging technologies, Lumination is committed to strengthening the future of the workforce and taking learning to the next level on the world stage.
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