British defence giant Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement with the Western Australian and South Australian governments to co-design workforce initiatives that will support the AUKUS submarine program and future defence projects.
The two Memorandum of Understandings will prioritise STEM pathways and targeted skills training to build the technical talent required to sustain nuclear-powered submarines and strengthen sovereign industrial capability.
Rolls-Royce Submarines president Steve Carlier said the agreements would draw on the company’s decades of nuclear expertise.
“These MOUs allow us to leverage our decades of experience to help Australia develop a talented workforce and inspire the next generation of Australian nuclear engineers,” Mr Carlier said.
“We are incredibly proud to play our part in the development of the next generation of attack submarines for the Royal Navy, and equally proud to be supporting Australia in their mission to introduce nuclear powered submarines to their fleet.”
Rolls-Royce is the only private company globally with nuclear capability spanning reactor design, manufacture and decommissioning within a single entity. It currently employs more than 5,000 people and provides in-service support to every reactor powering the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said his government’s agreement with Rolls-Royce would help build the workforce and industry capability needed to meet the opportunities presented by AUKUS.
“A skilled workforce will be crucial to continuing our state’s leading role in defence project delivery to meet the nation’s growing security challenges, and work must begin on this now,” Mr Malinauskas said.
Western Australian defence industries minister Paul Papalia said collaboration with Rolls-Royce would support the sustainment of nuclear-powered submarines from 2027.
“Western Australia is proud to partner with Rolls Royce, a world leader in nuclear reactor maintenance and construction,” Mr Papalia said.
“Collaboration with Rolls Royce will boost efforts to support our allies as part of Submarine Rotational Force – West.”
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