Strategic agreement connects Australian industry with the world's largest welding organisation to support workforce development, certification, technical collaboration and advanced manufacturing.
Weld Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Agency Agreement with the American Welding Society (AWS), establishing a strategic partnership designed to strengthen the welding, fabrication and advanced manufacturing capability required to support AUKUS, defence, shipbuilding and sovereign industrial growth.
According to Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, the agreement reflects the scale of the industrial capability challenge now facing Australia. "AUKUS is often described as a submarine program, but for Australian industry it is much bigger than that. It is a whole-of-nation capability uplift across welding, engineering, inspection, training, certification, advanced manufacturing and supply chain resilience," Crittenden said.
"Australia cannot build this capability in isolation. We need trusted international partners who bring technical depth, established systems and global experience. Partnering with AWS—one of the world's most influential welding organisations—is an important step in building the relationships Australia needs to support AUKUS, defence manufacturing and sovereign capability."
Under the Agency Agreement, Weld Australia will become AWS's preferred Australian partner for agreed AUKUS, defence and shipbuilding opportunities. The arrangement provides a framework for collaboration in areas such as workforce development, training pathways, certification, engineering support, technical standards, qualification alignment and industry engagement.
Crittenden said the partnership will help ensure Australian industry can access world-class welding expertise while maintaining a clear focus on local capability development.
"This is about bringing global knowledge into Australia in a way that benefits Australian companies, Australian workers and Australian national capability," Crittenden said. "The objective is not to import a solution. The objective is to work with AWS to strengthen our local industrial base, build local own workforce, and support the local companies that will deliver Australia's defence and manufacturing future."
The agreement aligns with Weld Australia's broader international collaboration strategy. Weld Australia is building strategic relationships with leading organisations across allied nations, including AWS in the United States, TWI in the United Kingdom, TÜV NORD in Germany, the Italian Institute of Welding and other international partners across certification, training, research and technology.
Ben Mitchell, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Weld Australia, and Richard Arn, Vice President of Welding and Technology at AWS, agree that the AWS and Weld Australia partnership creates an opportunity to align capability development across Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
"Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom are facing remarkably similar industrial challenges: workforce shortages, ageing trades, defence manufacturing growth, technology adoption, supply chain resilience and skills modernisation," Mitchell said. "Sovereign capability does not mean working alone. It means building trusted capability with trusted partners. This agreement between AWS and Weld Australia helps create the framework for that."
"AWS brings deep expertise in certification, education, standards and professional development. Weld Australia brings national industry knowledge, local relationships, engineering capability, training delivery and direct engagement with Australian defence and manufacturing supply chains. Together, we can support practical outcomes for industry."
According to Carey Chen, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, AWS, the agreement reflects the importance of global cooperation in building welding capability across allied industrial supply chains.
"AWS is committed to advancing welding knowledge, education, certification and technical excellence worldwide. This partnership with Weld Australia provides a practical pathway to support workforce development, standards alignment and industrial capability in Australia, particularly in relation to AUKUS, defence and shipbuilding."
"The challenges facing advanced manufacturing and defence supply chains are shared across nations. By working together, AWS and Weld Australia can help strengthen the skilled workforce, technical systems and industry capability needed to support these critical programs."
Crittenden said the agreement is one part of a broader strategy to ensure Australia can meet the demands of the next decade.
"The greatest competitive advantage of the future will not be the technology we possess, but the capability we develop together," Crittenden said. "This partnership with AWS is a practical step towards that future. It gives Australian industry stronger access to international expertise, while reinforcing Weld Australia's role as the national welding authority supporting defence, shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing and sovereign capability."
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ABOUT WELD AUSTRALIA
Weld Australia represents the welding profession in Australia. Its members are made up of individual welding professionals and companies of all sizes. Weld Australia members are involved almost every facet of Australian industry and make a significant contribution to the nation's economy. The primary goal of Weld Australia is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains locally and globally competitive, both now and into the future. Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).
