UNSW Sydney has joined forces with the University of Adelaide and Curtin University, and defence companies Babcock Australasia and HII (NYSE: HII), to form the AUKUS Workforce Alliance (AWA).
The alliance is a dedicated partnership committed to preparing a skilled workforce in support of all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS Pillar 1.
The AWA will work in a tri-lateral alliance, combining proven and trusted knowledge, skills and unrivalled experience from across Australia, the UK and the US.
The AWA seeks to address the current and future workforce needs that are required to accelerate sovereign capability, capacity and resilience for Australia’s defence sector.
Working together, the AWA will educate the thousands of qualified Australian engineering, maritime and nuclear trade and professional workers required to support the nation’s nuclear-powered submarine enterprise from infrastructure, sustainment, supply chain through to disposal.
The AUKUS Workforce Alliance will:
• Establish a proactive, innovative and internationally recognised platform for skill enhancement and leadership to support development of a sovereign, nuclear-powered submarine workforce in Australia;
• Lead the development and execution of critical upskilling programs, focusing on harnessing the full potential of Australia’s industrial base;
• Foster cutting-edge research and practical experience for the future workforce.
University of NSW professor Attila Brungs, vice-chancellor and president of UNSW, said, “UNSW is pleased to be contributing our unique expertise and capabilities to the ground-breaking AUKUS Workforce Alliance.”
“We look forward to supporting the Australian Submarine Agency’s “whole of nation” skilling objectives through collaboration with our partner universities in Adelaide and Perth, as well as with two global defence industry primes, in Babcock and HII, boasting a deep shared submarine capability sustainment heritage.”