Frigate image: © 2022 BAE Systems Australia. All rights reserved
As the number of major Australian defence projects increase over the next decade, the demand for highly skilled and industry ready employees is on the rise.
Careers in the defence industry are varied with long-term, rewarding and promotional opportunities available. Job roles include engineering, cyber security, virtual/augmented reality developers, human resources, design, electronics, and project management.
TAFE SA is committed to help grow the workforce behind the defence force by delivering courses that provide the in-demand skills for people to work in this remarkable industry.
Whether you are at school, looking for a career change, or job seeking, TAFE SA offers a range of relevant qualifications to help you achieve your career goal.
Over the next three decades, Australia’s naval shipbuilding industry will be building and sustaining (maintenance, service and upgrades) a range of vessels for the Australian Defence Force at the Osborne Naval Shipyard, including the Hunter Class Frigates, Hobart Class Air-warfare Destroyers, Collins Class submarines, and SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines will be based on the UK’s next generation design that incorporates technology from Australia, the UK, and the US. Nuclear-powered submarines have superior stealth, speed, and range. Joint operations will take place with Allied countries to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance during peacetime. These conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy, will require the attainment of a nuclear mindset for the safe, secure, and effective cradle-to-grave management of this capability.
Plans are already underway for the construction of a new shipyard at Osborne to build Australia’s next-generation AUKUS conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. The AUKUS submarines will be the most complex ships that have ever been built and will feature the best of US, UK and Australian technologies.
Through the Hunter Class Frigate Program, BAE Systems Australia’s maritime division will build 6 world-class anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Royal Australian Navy.
These major naval shipbuilding projects will provide thousands of job opportunities for South Australians. In South Australia, you could find yourself working in larger companies such as ASC Pty Ltd, BAE Systems Australia, Lockheed Martin Australia, and Saab, or a small-to-medium one who supply goods and services to the programs.
You don’t need to join the Navy or wear a uniform to work in the naval shipbuilding industry, the industry is broad and covers a huge range of in-demand jobs and skills, from design to engineering and production.
Launch your career in South Australia’s growing defence industry!
Expressions of interest are now open for the upcoming intake of the Defence Industry Pathways Program. This immersive 12-month traineeship provides an opportunity to complete a Certificate III in Defence Industry Pathways (52904WA) with TAFE SA while employed by PEER and hosted by a defence industry business.
This program offers invaluable experience across key areas of the defence sector, including logistics, supply chain management, data management, project management, technical drawing, and engineering fundamentals.
Opportunities are also available to pursue an apprenticeship within the shipbuilding industry in the following specialisations:
For more information and to apply, please visit the PEER website.
The Introduction to Naval Shipbuilding short course aims to familiarise you with multiple aspects of the naval shipbuilding industry in Australia. This 4 week (3 – 5 hours per week) self-paced online course introduces a range of key concepts, terminology, vessels and ship systems useful for new employees working in the industry.
Watch the leaders of some of Australia’s biggest defence companies, along with the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Peter Malinauskas in a round table discussion about the opportunities on offer in the Defence Industry. TAFE SA’s Executive Director of Academic Development, Penny Johnston also joins the roundtable and outlines TAFE SA’s role in producing skilled graduates for the industry. You can view the video on Facebook.
The virtual environment of a ship’s engine room provides invaluable context and builds your understanding of the complex systems and constraints that need to considered when designing naval vessel interiors. TAFE SA and Odyssee Aus Engineers developed this new digital learning opportunity for our students and those interested in the naval shipbuilding industry.
Use our three-dimensional exploration of an Oberon Submarine to find out how your skills and knowledge from the Diploma of Engineering - Technical (MEM50212) qualification may be used in the Naval Shipbuilding Industry.
We would like to acknowledge our partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney and thank them for providing access to their submarine to create this three-dimensional environment for TAFE SA and our students.
To navigate around the environment, hold down your left mouse button to move and click to view details on a PC, or tap the symbols on a mobile device.
Interesting facts about how this qualification relates to job roles
Move around the submarine
View full details for naval shipbuilding career opportunities in trades, engineering, electronics and cyber.
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