The Australian Government is investing $480 million into Australia’s naval shipbuilding and submarine construction workforce with the build of the Skills and Training Academy at Osborne in South Australia.
When the AUKUS Pathway was announced in March 2023, the Australian and South Australian Governments agreed to establish a dedicated Skills and Training Academy to deliver the high-tech education and training needed for continuous naval shipbuilding and AUKUS in South Australia.
Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas, Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy, Director General ASA Vice-Admiral Jonathan Mead and other dignitaries were on site to commemorate the first sod turning, marking commencement of construction.
The Skills and Training Academy Campus will be designed and delivered by Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI). Kellogg, Brown and Root, and Architectus have been engaged as design partners.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said, “South Australia’s industry will deliver billions of dollars in defence capabilities and thousands of well-paid, high skilled jobs – and the Skills and Training Academy Campus at Osborne is at the centre of this work.”
The design and build will also be supported by Australia’s Sovereign Submarine Build Partners, BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd, to draw on the deep experience of our partners, ensuring training aligns with industry requirements.
The Skills and Training Academy Campus is a core pillar of the Australian Government’s uplift of Australian infrastructure and industry through AUKUS, which will see $30 billion worth of investment over the coming decades, supporting thousands of well-paid, high skilled jobs.
At its peak, up to 4,000 Australian workers will be employed to design and build the infrastructure for the submarine construction yard at Osborne. A further 4,000-5,500 direct jobs will be created to build Australia’s conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarines when the program reaches its peak – almost double the workforce forecast for the Attack class program.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said, “This is an incredible opportunity for young South Australians to learn highly technical hands-on skills, which will lead them into high quality careers that will last for lifetimes.”
The design of the Skills and Training Academy Campus will simulate the submarine construction yard, providing hands on skills and classroom-based learning. The facility will include trade workshops, state of the art classrooms and a large central submarine mock-up area.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy said, “This initiative is critical if we are to have the workforce required to deliver the capabilities needed to safeguard the nation. This about making Australians safer while providing financial security for thousands of South Australians.”
This builds on work already underway between Federal and State Governments to grow, train and retain a high-skilled workforce in South Australia now and for decades to come. The Commonwealth-South Australian Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report and Action Plan is well underway, with over 20 initiatives being implemented, including:
• the Defence Industry Pathways Program South Australian expansion
• the Shipbuilding Employment Pathways pilot initiative, to be delivered in partnership between PEER as the Group Training Organisation and TAFE SA as the training provider;
• the Schools Pathways Program; and
• More than 1,000 additional Commonwealth Supported Places at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University from 2024-2027.
• 3,000 technical scholarships for students undertaking undergraduate STEM degrees at eligible universities.
Growing this workforce will be critical to building our defence future, one that is made right here in South Australia.