Navigating a stellar career in Maritime Warfare Training – Sophie’s story

Serco has been supporting the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) by training young Maritime Warfare Officers (MWO) in ship operations, bridge operations and navigation in a simulated war fighting environment since 2012. We have also been providing maintenance and engineering design services to the Training Authority Maritime Warfare at HMAS Watson since 2003.

As one of Serco’s Principal Warfare Officer Instructors at HMAS Watson, Sophie Anderson has a distinguished career in maritime warfare training. Joining Serco in 2023, Sophie brought with her a wealth of experience from her time in the RAN.

Sophie began her journey in the RAN in 2009 as an MWO. She attended the Australian Defence Force Academy from 2010 to 2012 and subsequently conducted Officer of the Watch training. Her early postings included HMAS Melbourne from 2014 to 2016, and in 2017, she also served as the Executive Officer of HMAS Maryborough and HMAS Ararat.

In 2020, Sophie completed the Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) course and was posted to HMAS Hobart. She has participated in significant operations such as Resolute, Augury, and Manitou, which involved missions in the North of Australia, the Philippines, and the North Arabian Sea. Notably, she became PWO #609 in the RAN and served as the Torpedo/Anti-Submarine Officer of HMAS Hobart during the RAN’s first iteration of the Submarine Command Course in 2022.

Sophie departed the RAN in February 2023 and joined Serco the same month. She initially took on the role of Senior Maritime Warfare Instructor at the Bridge Training Facility before transitioning to her current role as a PWOI at the School of Maritime Warfare (SMW). Reflecting on her transition, Sophie said, "15 years of experience in the industry made the transition easy. The personnel in the contract were people I had interacted with throughout my career, who I respected and was happy to work with again."

In her current role, Sophie instructs SMW students at various stages of their careers, from basic maritime warfare concepts to advanced tactical theory for PWOs. She is involved in course development and continuous revision to ensure the most up-to-date information is delivered. "I enjoy helping train the next generation of MWOs and being a part of their journey," Sophie shared.

Outside of her professional life, Sophie is an active member of the Maroubra RSL and continues to serve as an active reservist. She is currently working with Navy Employment Category Development Branch (NECDB) to develop an Officer of the Day (OOD) Junior Training Program and a proposal for a new OOD course for junior officers.

Sophie is driven by her passion for innovation and continuous improvement. "I enjoy taking feedback from students and coming up with new ways to teach content to keep people engaged," she said. Her dedication to evolving and delivering the best product to the client aligns with Serco’s purpose of 'Impact a better future.' "To me, it means consistently evolving to deliver the best product we can to the client, and by doing that, helping to produce the best MWOs that we can to perform the role."

Sophie's journey is a testament to her commitment to excellence in maritime warfare training and her dedication to developing the next generation of officers.