We congratulate ex-student Lieutenant Commander Caroline Skinner (’09) for winning the Engineering category of the 2025 Women in Defence Awards. Caroline is the Marine Engineering Officer in HMAS Supply with the Royal Australian Navy.
The annual Women in Defence Awards celebrate talented, determined and successful women who positively impact the Defence business arena as members of defence industry, the Australian public service, or in uniform.
This is public recognition of her outstanding professionalism, dedication and service. Not only does this award showcase her individual performance, it highlights the quality of Navy people to a broad audience, and emphasises the role women play in leading our Navy and shaping the future of the Defence and security sectors for all.
Caroline was among five Navy finalists across a variety of categories, with four of these five women win their respective categories. Across such a broad rank range and from distinct workforce segments, this speaks to Navy’s unique people capability where diversity gives us strength and competitive advantage.
In 2024, Caroline was integral in managing the complex engineering changes needed to improve Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment enterprise, followed by a transition to a new role as the Marine Engineering Officer (MEO) onboard HMAS Supply. Caroline performed well beyond the level expected of a new MEO by taking on the additional responsibility of overseeing the Weapons Electrical Department, as well as several roles normally executed by the Executive Officer. She regularly participated on formal Oral Examination boards and mentoring of Navy Senior Sailors and Officers.
Caroline is an active contributor to STEM outreach and demonstrates an exceptional emotional intelligence when dealing with critical safety issues. The love she has for her role and the ways she finds ways to share that joy and passion of engineering with those in and outside her immediate sphere of Command impressed the 2025 WIDA judging panel.
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