VET News

Powering Naval Shipbuilding Skills Through Vocational Education and Training

Australia’s vocational education and training sector already contributes significantly to our naval shipbuilding and sustainment sector, providing diverse skills requirements ranging from complex engineering and design roles, project management and logistics roles, through to highly advanced technician and trade roles.

However, in the midst of a skills crisis, we are aware of the obstacles in our path. Industry must have the people capability and capacity to build, maintain and sustain the new submarines, which is why we have commenced developing the Submarine Workforce and Industry Strategy to ensure we have the people with the skills we need to deliver and operate our Defence assets.

The keystone of this strategy is a dedicated Skills and Training Academy, which will be a dedicated hub to attract, grow, develop, qualify and retain the shipbuilding workforce to meet current and future demand and provide opportunities for continuous development of the existing workforce.

Working in lockstep with state and territory governments, industry, unions, universities, education and training providers and the scientific and technical sectors, this academy will be vital to attracting and maintaining the workforce to support and build the capabilities of Australia’s world-leading defence industry.

This work has already begun with the landmark National Skills Agreement endorsed last year, and discussions on the five year Agreement are well underway.

See the full Ministers' Media Centre release here.

Date posted Apr 6, 2023