Naval Group Australia has announced a new major jobs package seeking a range of trade and professional skills to support the Future Submarine Program.
The company aims to add 100 people by April and double its total South Australian-based workforce by the end of 2021.
The “sub what you do” campaign will run across social and traditional media, and invites people to make the jump from their existing work to “build a submarine instead”.
Naval Group Australia chief executive officer, John Davis, said that people who had never even considered a career in defence could make a difference.
“Designing and building Australia’s 12 Attack Class Submarines is one of the most significant undertakings in our nation’s history,” Davis said.
“We need Australians from right across the country to ‘sub what they do’ and become part of delivering this unique and exciting capability to Australia.
“We are offering great jobs that will turn into remarkable careers.
“You may have never imagined yourself working in defence, but we want you.”
Davis said people could use skills they already have, but build a submarine instead.
“You don’t have to be a member of the armed forces, or someone wearing high vis,” he said.
“We already employ everyone from apprentice welders and human resources professionals to computer software technicians and engineers. We have many of the functions that you would associate with any other business, plus the unmatchable excitement of building a submarine.
“We are working with the world’s best technology and expertise, gathered from 100 years of submarine building in France, to deliver a regionally superior submarine fleet that will defend our island nation for decades to come.
“A graduate who joins this company fresh from training could spend their entire working life with Naval Group Australia, and retire as the 12th submarine goes to sea.”
Naval Group Australia currently employs more than 250 people at its Keswick and Port Adelaide offices. That is expected to increase by around 100 by April next year, with a target to reach a total of more than 500 workers by the end of 2021.
Naval Group Australia expects to employ 1700 people directly by 2028 and support hundreds more jobs in the new advanced manufacturing supply chain that is being created to construct the nation’s 12 new Attack Class Submarines.
In 2021, Naval Group Australia will invite new applications across a range of areas including software developers and cyber security, drafters, welders, ICT professionals, fabrication supervisors, procurement, legal, commercial and finance professionals as well as engineers specialising in the fields of electrical, mechanical, production and integrated logistics support.