The Australian government has selected a joint venture between Huntington Ingalls Industries and Kellogg Brown & Root to establish the country’s Naval Shipbuilding College which will work with shipbuilders throughout the different stages of project construction and sustainment.
The joint venture has been named Naval Shipbuilding Institute to establish and manage Australia’s naval college.
Announcing the contract, Australian defense industry minister Chritopher Pyne said the naval shipbuilding workforce in Australia was likely to grow to around 5,200 workers by the mid‑2020s.
“The Naval Shipbuilding College will collaborate with key education and industry providers to ensure Australia can increase the size and skill level of the naval shipbuilding and sustainment workforce we need,” Pyne said.
“More than 25,000 personnel will be needed directly or indirectly for the government’s $90 billion commitment to a continuous shipbuilding program. The naval shipbuilding workforce in Australia is likely to grow to around 5,200 workers by the mid‑2020s, across a range of diverse job roles.”
The Naval Shipbuilding College will be headquartered in South Australia, creating 20 jobs in Adelaide, with an initial focus on increasing the number of people with key entry-level trade qualifications.
HII and KBR have put together a team from the shipbuilding, education, training, academic and business sectors across Australia to ensure the mission of the Naval Shipbuilding College is properly executed. These organizations include the Australian Maritime College in Launceston; Australian vocational education and training providers (TAFE) in Adelaide and Fremantle; and AiGroup, Manpower Group, PwC, Defence Teaming Centre and the Defence Industry Educational Skills Consortium.