Naval Shipbuilding College

Respondents are invited to submit a proposal to support the development and delivery of a Naval Shipbuilding College (NSC) to facilitate the delivery of the workforce outcomes required to build and sustain Australia’s naval shipbuilding endeavour, as outlined in the Naval Shipbuilding Plan, released by the Government on 16 May 2017.

Over the next ten (10) to fifteen (15) years, the size and skill level of the naval shipbuilding and sustainment workforce will need to increase significantly to meet the demands created by the Government’s planned investments in naval shipbuilding.

The naval shipbuilding enterprise is too important for the market forces of supply and demand to manage growth and skilling requirements. A national approach to rebuilding the naval shipbuilding and sustainment workforce is required. On 24 March 2017, the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP announced that the Government will establish a Naval Shipbuilding College to identify, train and retain workers for the naval shipbuilding enterprise.

The NSC project is expected to be delivered through three phases, with progress to the next phase dependent on the successful achievement of the previous phase:
• the first phase will commence in 2018 and focus on establishing the NSC; is expected to build capacity and annual throughput at existing education and training institutions across Australia, in key entry level trade qualifications. It will commence a nation-wide communication program, including a career awareness program for school level audiences and workers in adjacent industries; and create a workforce register;
• the second phase of the Naval Shipbuilding College is expected to commence in 2020/21. The College will continue to increase capacity and student throughput in key entry-level trades, and will build on this to also achieve increased capacity and throughput in key higher education qualifications (such as naval architecture/engineering) from universities; and
• the final phase of the NSC Project could commence from around 2022-2023, subject to successful implementation of the first two phases, and is to develop and construct a purpose-built Naval Shipbuilding College training facility located at the Osborne Naval Shipyard that will offer a range of naval shipbuilding and sustainment education and training that cannot be met from existing institutions.

To support the establishment and delivery of the NSC, the Commonwealth, through the Defence of Defence, is seeking to engage with the broader training and education industry and with potential NSC providers to:
• provide informed input and innovative ideas that can be considered by the Commonwealth in determining the optimal service development and delivery solution for the NSC; and
• enable an industry partner or partners to be selected to deliver the first two phases of NSC outcomes.