Naval Group and BAE Systems join other major defence contractors to work together on shipbuilding workforce plan

Recognising that they need to work together to meet the needs of Australia’s $90 billion naval shipbuilding program, the major companies have agreed to collaborate, rather than compete.

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THE nation’s defence heavyweights have committed to working together on a Strategic Workforce Plan to ensure there are enough skilled workers to deliver the nation’s $90 billion naval shipbuilding program.

The companies, including Naval Group and BAE Systems which are building the Future Submarines and Future Frigates at the Osborne shipyards, will continue to collaborate with the South Australian-based Naval Shipbuilding College on a four step plan which would start by defining the industry’s skills demands and put in place plans to deliver them.

Chief executive of the college Ian Irving said the plan details the companies’ pledge to work together to develop and retain a skilled workforce.

“Industry recognises it is stronger and will be more successful when operating collaboratively, in terms of workforce development in Australia,” Mr Irving said.

“It is very much a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.’’

Naval Group also yesterday announced at the PACIFIC 2019 Maritime Exposition in Sydney that, in collaboration with 16 other partners including Adelaide’s ASC Shipbuilding and all three of Adelaide’s major universities, it was examining the establishment of an Australian Maritime Development Centre (AMDC).

The centre would be spread across four states and would seek to “foster industry wide gains through independent and collaborative research, open innovation, and the development of new intellectual capital’’.

Peter Davie, the current interim chair of the AMDC, said it would be a valuable part for the burgeoning industry.

“We plan to bring together the best of the country’s research and development assets into a new, powerful network to serve the needs of our naval and maritime customers in a way that has not been possible in the past,” he said.

The centre is expected to be launched in the first three months of next year.

Naval Group also this morning will announce a partnership with Flinders University, under which Flinders will conduct a range of research trials including applications of mobile machining robots and exoskeleton technologies.

Naval Group Pacific chief executive Francois Romanet said the ‘Industry 4.0’ research program would help to establish a world-leading advanced manufacturing capability at the Osborne shipyard.

“The establishment of this partnership with Flinders University is part of our commitment to ensuring shipyards are able to access the early deployment of the most advanced digital and advanced manufacturing technologies available”, he said.

Flinders vice-chancellor Colin Stirling said it built on an existing research program with Naval in the field of autonomous maritime vehicles.