Space for All: Building an inclusive, skilled and future-ready workforce
- Jacqui Tyack
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
Insights from the Diversity Panel at the 18th Australian Space Forum.
At the 18th Australian Space Forum in Adelaide, the message from the Diversity Panel was clear: to build a sovereign, resilient, and future-ready space industry, we must embed inclusion at every level. Moderated by ASDA Ambassador Georgi Coddington, Director of the AYAA's Astra Program, the panel featured perspectives from across the ecosystem; Zamara Rodriguez (SIAA), Mori Hajizadeh (Industry Skills Australia), and ASDA Ambassador Christian Maskey (SpaceBridge). Each reinforcing why accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and belonging are strategic imperatives, not optional extras.
For Christian Maskey, a Gumbaynggirr man and founder of SpaceBridge, diversity is unity in action. “I think of it like the Olympics—people from every background coming together to compete, collaborate, and respect each other. That’s what we need in space.” His lived experience, as a First Nations man living with disabilities and part of the LGBTIQA+ community, offers a vital lens on intersectionality in STEM.
Christian shared data from the 2024 Space, Spatial, and Surveying Inclusive Employer Index showing that only 0.5% of the space workforce identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander—four times below the national average.
“There are complex reasons for this. Some roles go uncounted. Others sit at the edges of the industry—construction, tourism, land-use partnerships—yet are critical contributors.”
He highlighted a standout model: the long-term partnership between the Square Kilometre Array Observatory and the Wajarri-Yamatji people. Forged over six years, this equitable, trust-based agreement empowers Indigenous voices and opens pathways for young Wajarri scientists to contribute meaningfully to the SKA project.
Beyond representation, the panel tackled the urgent need for a broader talent pipeline. With critical skills shortages in AI, data, systems engineering, and regulation, there’s a real opportunity for graduates, career-changers, and underrepresented groups to shape the next chapter of Australia’s space future.
After the panel, Christian concluded:
“We are a young species. And Australia is a young spacefaring nation. Let’s use this moment to listen, learn, and embed diversity before the industry matures further. Because only by doing so can we achieve true innovation.”
During the Space Forum, ASDA Ambassador Georgi Coddington announced an exciting new collaboration: the Australian Youth Aerospace Association (AYAA) has joined forces with the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), supported through the Optus Industry Fellow role, to open fresh opportunities for Australia’s next generation of space professionals. Through joint webinars, targeted mentoring, and shared resources, the initiative will connect students and early-career engineers with the people and organisations shaping the sector. The pilot will launch via the 2025/26 Astra Program, with a clear goal—to inspire, empower and strengthen career pathways into Australia’s rapidly growing space industry.
Find out more about the initiatives being run by the Diversity Panel participants to grow the space industry:
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