The first group of school-based shipbuilding trainees are a step closer to a career in South Australia's emerging defence industry, after graduating from stage one of the Shipbuilding Readiness Training Program through BAE Systems Maritime Australia.
The 18 students, who have now completed their Certificate II in Engineering, have signed contracts to undertake the Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication) – the final step in their training before taking up full time apprenticeships with BAE Systems Maritime Australia.
The group of students are from Thebarton Senior College, Parafield Gardens High School, Rosewater Trade Training Centre and St Patricks Technical College.
A second intake for the Shipbuilding Readiness Training Program is welcoming a further 18 students this year.
Around 1000 apprentices and graduates will be employed by BAE Systems Maritime Australia over the life of the Hunter program. It is estimated that once the nine frigates are built, three-quarters of the program workforce, including senior executives, will have started their careers as apprentices or graduates.
"The Shipbuilding Readiness Training Program is helping to ensure our state has the skilled workforce required to fill the jobs emerging from the $90 billion pipeline of defence work coming to South Australia," said Education Minister John Gardner.
"We want to ensure that young South Australians are the front of the queue to land these jobs, and this program is helping to put our students in the best possible position to do that.
"The partnership model gives students a pathway into great careers and employers the flexibility to develop the skills they need to grow their business.
"Through this approach, BAE Systems has been able to take on more trainees during the prototyping phase of its contracts than would have been possible under a full-time apprentice model.
"This also means that these students are able to earn while they learn and complete their SACE and be ready to step into full apprenticeships when construction gets underway and the workforce grows."
BAE Systems Maritime Australia Managing Director Craig Lockhart said he was proud of the group.
"I'm extremely proud of our apprentices who have reached a significant milestone in their apprenticeship journey: successfully completing their Certificate II in Engineering as part of the Shipbuilding Readiness Training Program," said Mr Lockhart.
"This first group of 18 school-based apprentices, learning welding and boiler-making skills, will now undertake the Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication), which is the next step in their training before taking up full-time apprenticeships in 2022.
"While this group of apprentices continue their training, I'm delighted to welcome our next group of 18 apprentices who will start their first day in the shipyard in April."
