Australia’s AUKUS submarine program has taken another step forward with the signing of a new agreement between the South Australian Government and Rolls-Royce.
Premier Peter Malinauskas signed a memorandum of understanding with the British defence company in London, outlining plans to collaborate on workforce development, skills training and critical technologies. The deal is aimed at building the highly skilled workforce needed for the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines in Adelaide.
The agreement comes as South Australia ramps up investment in defence training. Five new technical colleges focused on advanced manufacturing and defence skills are being established, with $208 million in funding. The first, Findon Technical College, opened this year with 230 students. Construction is also underway on a Skills and Training Academy at Osborne, designed to simulate a submarine construction yard and welcome up to 1000 students annually.
A separate pilot program has seen the state partner with the University of South Australia, industry and the Australian Industry Group to launch a software engineering degree apprenticeship. Meanwhile, the creation of Adelaide University through the merger of the University of Adelaide and UniSA is expected to reshape higher education, with more than 70,000 students forecast to be enrolled by 2034 and a $500 million annual contribution to the state economy.
Premier Malinauskas said the partnership with Rolls-Royce was an important step in ensuring South Australia is ready to meet AUKUS needs. “South Australia is at the forefront of the nation’s defence industry, but we need to keep growing the skills and capabilities required to meet future defence needs. AUKUS presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our state. This MoU will help us build the workforce and industry capability needed to deliver on that opportunity,” he said.
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the agreement would strengthen South Australia’s role within the partnership. “We’re focused on building the world-class infrastructure, developing a highly skilled sovereign workforce and supporting a capable, innovative industry that can meet the demands of this transformative national endeavour. This MOU with global defence leader Rolls-Royce is another important milestone to strengthening our workforce pipeline,” he said.
Rolls-Royce has more than six decades of experience powering the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet and is expanding its Derby site to support both British and Australian defence programs. In March last year, it was confirmed the company would provide the nuclear reactor plants for new attack submarines under AUKUS.
Steve Carlier, President of Rolls-Royce Submarines, said the company was proud to contribute its expertise. “We are incredibly proud to play our part in the development of the next generation of attack submarines for the Royal Navy, and equally proud to be supporting Australia in their mission to introduce nuclear powered submarines to their fleet,” he said. “This MOU allows us to leverage our decades of experience to help South Australia develop a talented workforce and inspire the next generation of Australian nuclear engineers.”
South Australia has also been building links with international nuclear institutions, with Flinders University partnering with organisations in the UK and US. The Premier also visited the Rolls-Royce Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby, which trains 200 apprentices each year for the Royal Navy’s submarine program.
The agreement is expected to complement existing workforce initiatives while reinforcing South Australia’s role as the centre of the country’s future nuclear-powered submarine industry.
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