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Naval Group Australia has called for applicants for this latest round, which is expected to see at least 13 new apprentices commence in early 2021 and follows the successful placement of eight apprentices in local South Australian businesses in 2020.
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The 13 apprentices will have the opportunity to work in Naval Group Australia and MEGTs host network including Samaras Group, a multidisciplinary heavy engineering and construction company, or Smart Fabrication, a manufacturing and engineering fabrication company.
Once the apprentice has completed probation, they receive a letter of intent that will allow them to take up a role with Naval Group Australia following their apprenticeship and be one of the first tradies to work on the submarine program.
Naval Group Australia shipyard operations manager Rory Johnstone said that the Attack Class submarine program was seeing a significant number of jobs created including many apprenticeships across all trade disciplines.
“Manufacturing 12 regionally-superior submarines over the next few decades is delivering benefits to our country, local industry, local communities and creating thousands of jobs,” Johnstone explained.
“This includes both direct roles within Naval Group Australia and indirect jobs created to support the new program including all major trade types, engineering, project management, finance and supply chain.”
Expanding on this, Johnstone added, “As part of this exciting program, it is critical we have local talent skilled up and ready to play their part in delivering these submarines that will be so important to our country for generations.
“These apprentices get the opportunity to learn new skills with our industrial partners in South Australian businesses alongside experienced welders and boilermakers in preparation to work on the Future Submarine Program.”
Managing director of local South Australian business Smart Fabrication, Simon Kennedy, said that apprentices got to learn new skills and were making a strong contribution to local businesses.
“The apprentices get to work with and learn from some of the best welders and fabricators in South Australia that we have here at SmartFab. We teach them the key skills they need while they gain a qualification and earn a wage – giving themselves the opportunity to set themselves up for life,” Kennedy added.
The Attack Class submarines will be delivered as part of the $50 billion SEA 1000 Future Submarine program. Naval Group will deliver 12 regionally-superior submarines to the Royal Australian Navy.
Naval Group's successful Shortfin Barracuda design, which serves as the basis for the new Attack Class, is a conventionally-powered variant of the nuclear-powered Barracuda fast attack submarine currently under construction for the French Navy.
Lockheed Martin will provide the AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System, which provides an open-architecture submarine combat control system for analysing and tracking submarine and surface-ship contacts, providing situational awareness as well as the capability to target and employ torpedoes and missiles.
The 12 vessels will be built by Naval Group at a specialist submarine shipyard at Osborne, South Australia. The Commonwealth government’s Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) program will support the development of the future submarine shipyards.
The Commonwealth government formally signed the strategic partnering agreement (SPA) with Naval Group in February 2019 ahead of confirming the final design specifications and requirements for the Attack class submarines.
The Attack class will enter service with the RAN at a time when 50 per cent of the world’s submarines will be operating in the Indo-Pacific region.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
