The initiative, which aims to bolster the state’s defence industry workforce, was developed in partnership with WA’s South Metropolitan TAFE and the maritime defence industry.

The pilot program, which is open to WA’s school leavers who have completed year 12, is expected to support 120 students by mid-2022, with the first cohort of 20 graduates set to commence in July.

The Commonwealth government has committed almost $45,000 per trainee, funding their wages, on-costs and uniform.

“This program is designed to build a pipeline of talent that is ready to be part of Australia’s booming shipbuilding industry,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said.

“We are investing $75 billion in the maritime domain, focused on the construction, upgrade and sustainment of new and existing classes of naval vessels.

“With the increasing demand for workers in the shipbuilding industry in Western Australia, the maritime defence industry needs to grow its workforce.”

Minister Price noted the importance of attracting and retaining the next generation of designers, engineers, scientists and technical tradespeople.

“We need our young people to know that there are diverse, valuable and exciting careers to be found in the defence industry,” the minister added.

The Australian Marine Complex in Henderson is expected to host the new program; however, the government has said it could be extended to other sites across Australia.

This latest announcement follows the launch of a new job portal earlier this month, set up to support Australia’s shipbuilding workforce.

The government, in partnership with the defence industry, unveiled a new shipbuilding jobs website to better link industry with the prospective workforce.

The initiative was supported by a partnership between the federal government’s Naval Shipbuilding College and key partners, and it is hoped that it will facilitate Australia’s current ongoing shipbuilding programs as well as Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding industry into the future.

[Related: Government, industry launch new job seeker platform for shipbuilding industry]

Charbel Kadib

News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media

Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.