Defence Minister Richard Marles to kickstart $500m Osborne skills centre for AUKUS submarine jobs

Work on a long-awaited $500m naval shipbuilding skills and training centre for thousands of shipbuilding jobs in Adelaide is about to start.

Work on a long-awaited $500m naval shipbuilding skills and training centre in Adelaide’s northwest is starting in an election-eve ceremony to kickstart the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine project.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and Premier Peter Malinauskas on Wednesday morning will conduct a sod-turning ceremony for the Skills and Training Academy at Osborne Naval Shipyard.

The move comes two-and-a-half years after Mr Malinauskas declared the ongoing shortage of highly qualified graduates and workers was his biggest fear about building AUKUS submarines at Osborne in a $368bn project.

With an April 12 federal election hotly tipped to be called this long weekend, Mr Marles will announce $480m funding to build the skills academy, adding to $20m already earmarked.

“South Australia’s industry will deliver billions of dollars in defence capabilities and thousands of well-paid, high skilled jobs – and the Skills and Training Academy Campus at Osborne is at the centre of this work,” he told The Advertiser.

Artist impression of the Skills and Training Academy at Osborne . Picture : Defence

Hailing an opportunity for young South Australians to build high-quality careers, Mr Malinauskas said: “Developing the skills needed to deliver Adelaide-built nuclear-powered submarines is both the biggest opportunity, and biggest risk of AUKUS.”

Mr Marles also is expected to use an Advertiser Defending Australia event on Wednesday afternoon to launch an AUKUS Submarine Industry strategy.

This is pitched as giving industry greater clarity about growing and entering supply chains, making it easier for Australian businesses to tap into the multi-decade program.

The Skills and Training Academy’s design and construction will be backed by AUKUS submarine joint build partners ASC and BAE Systems Australia – the latter is also building six Hunter class frigates at Osborne in a $45bn project.

The academy design will include trade workshops, classrooms and a large, central submarine mock-up area.

State and federal governments agreed in March, 2023, to establish the Skills and Training Academy to support continuous naval shipbuilding at Osborne.

Mr Marles also will officially open a $90m Saab Australia Sovereign Combat Systems Collaboration Centre at Mawson Lakes.

Saab Australia managing director Andy Keough said: “It is a unique facility in Australia, is a highly secure facility for developing naval combat system capability and other defence capabilities.”

Originally published as Defence Minister Richard Marles to kickstart $500m Osborne skills centre for AUKUS submarine jobs