A new partnership between the University of Adelaide and Babcock Australasia (Babcock) is set to accelerate Australia’s critical defence industry workforce to support the AUKUS program.
Babcock Managing Director AUKUS & International Sir Nick Hine KCB, Babcock CEO Andrew Cridland, University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj AC and Deputy Vice Chancellor (External Engagement) Dr Jessica Gallagher have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a commitment to work closely together.
Babcock and the University of Adelaide will work together on developing Australia’s defence workforce and skills through new initiatives and projects to support current defence programs and the AUKUS program, including the delivery of the nation’s first nuclear-powered submarines.
"The University of Adelaide is excited to be working closely with Babcock Australasia to advance our shared objectives and contribute to the growth and expertise of Australia's defence industry. Babcock is an eminent force in the defence industry with extensive experience in naval strategy and submarine operations," said Professor Peter Høj, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide.
"Working closely together will help address the complexities in defence skills and workforce in preparation for the greatest advanced manufacturing opportunity of our time."
Under the AUKUS trilateral security pact the US and the UK will assist Australia in building nuclear-powered submarines in South Australia.
"Babcock’s partnership with the University of Adelaide solidifies our ongoing commitment to developing the critical skills and workforce required to support landmark Defence projects, including the AUKUS agreement," said Sir Nick Hine Babcock Managing Director AUKUS & International.
"As a tri-national endeavour, we all need to urgently upskill our workforce and encourage Australians to take up once-in-a-lifetime careers in the Defence industry in order to deliver the most complex and largest Defence agenda in Australia’s history – and this work starts now."
Job creation and building the advanced skills needed to support South Australia's position will be critical to the program.
The MoU will serve as the guiding framework, between the University of Adelaide and Babcock to work together on new talent attraction and development to support defence and national security and realise the potential presented by AUKUS.
"The MOU highlights Babcock’s commitment to work closely with the university sector so we can continue to grow and develop our workforce needed to support keeping our nation – and the wider Indo Pacific region – safe and secure," said Andrew Cridland, CEO of Babcock Australasia.
"Given our extensive global experience in sustainment, nuclear safety and stewardship, Babcock stands ready to assist Australia in delivering this very significant opportunity, including growing the required workforce to support the delivery of the nation’s first nuclear-powered submarines."