Login
iscover
TAFE SA has partnered with French public vocational education and training provider, AFPA, to train the Australian workers that will work on Australia's $50-billion French-designed Future Submarines.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
Staff from TAFE SA are currently in France finalising the terms of the arrangement and to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to encourage skills collaboration across welding and fabrication, machining, inspection and measurement, mechanical fitting and engineering design.
TAFE SA interim chief executive Alexandra Reid said that this partnership will provide a valuable opportunity to work with France’s leading vocational training and career counselling organisation.
"We are really pleased to have this partnership with AFPA, who are leaders in the maritime sector and have partnered with the major French shipbuilders," Reid said.
Reid said the new relationship will allow TAFE SA to learn from the French curriculum and know-how and guide TAFE SA in the development of learning materials for its own accredited units of competency, accredited courses and short courses.
"TAFE SA will work closely with AFPA to build a pipeline of skilled workers who are job-ready for the Future Submarine Program and other shipbuilding projects.
"Working with another experienced training organisation will ensure our curriculum and skills development aligns with the local needs of the defence and shipbuilding industry."
AFPA trains over 150,000 people a year at 200 sites across France.
A working group will be established between the two providers to support ongoing collaboration.
AFPA’s director general, Pascale d'Artois, said the vocational provider will look to work with TAFE SA in delivering innovation solutions to Australia's budding shipbuilding industry.
"We are proud that TAFE SA has chosen AFPA to contribute to the development of skills for a new generation of Australian Naval Shipbuilding employees," d'Artois said. "AFPA’s objective is to bring innovative solutions to the Naval shipbuilding industry."
TAFE SA is slated to play a large role in preparing the workforce for Australia's naval shipbuilding industry, having been part of the consortium selected to deliver courses under the new Naval Shipbuilding College in Adelaide.
