- Minister for Education
- Member for Boothby
South Australia’s shipbuilding workforce will get training to increase their employability and better support the local industry and shipbuilding program.
The Morrison Government today announced it would provide $2 million over two years to pilot a Diploma of Digital Technologies program.
Up to 100 employees of the Government-owned ASC Shipbuilding will learn digital skills, include training in engineering tools and systems relevant to the new ‘digital shipyard’, whole-ship design principles, and Defence contract requirements.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the project would focus on work-integrated learning to upskill shipyard employees, who may otherwise face future redundancy.
"The Morrison Government is investing in South Australian workers to provide the brains and know-how for our naval shipbuilding program," Mr Tehan said.
"The course is timed to support the skills and employment needs of the Future Hunter Class Frigate Program beginning in December 2020.
"Our Government is also funding projects to increase collaboration between universities and industry that lead to job creation, business opportunities and productivity gains.
"This project is part of the Morrison Government’s plan to encourage greater collaboration between universities and businesses on research innovation and workforce preparation.
"The research done by our universities can lead to the development of new products and innovations that drive job growth, business opportunities and productivity gains."
Member for Boothby Nicolle Flint said the program would create more opportunities for local workers to benefit from the Morrison Government’s $90 billion commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding, including the $35 billion program to construct nine Hunter class frigates, creating around 2,900 jobs. Authorised by The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Parliament House, Canberra
"We are adopting the ‘earn while you learn’ model, and workers selected to undertake the Diploma of Digital Technologies through Flinders University will still earn their salary while they study. They will also have new positions once the course has been completed," Ms Boothby said.
"The broader skills that participants will develop also support continuous naval shipbuilding in Australia, and will be a boon to workers in terms of their future employability.
"Flinders University, in conjunction with TAFE SA, will trial the effectiveness of the tailored course developed in collaboration with industry, opening up the potential for similar collaborations in the future in other fields such as nursing, allied health and medicine."
The project is between Flinders University, BAE Systems, ASC Shipbuilding and TAFE SA.