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A new government-backed program has been launched to help facilitate career transitions into the naval shipbuilding industry, supporting displaced workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Commonwealth government has launched a $5 million pathways program — the Naval Shipbuilding Training and Upskilling program — aimed at encouraging workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue a career in the naval shipbuilding industry.
The new program forms part of a $1 billion government commitment to bolster Australia’s defence industry workforce to 70,000, helping to drive nationwide jobs growth.
The initiative will involve connecting displaced workers with tailored case management, in a bid to provide potential candidates with training plans and job placement opportunities.
The program is expected to be delivered by education and training providers and coordinated by the Naval Shipbuilding College.
“Since it was established by the Coalition government in 2018, the Naval Shipbuilding College has assisted thousands of workers to prepare for and become ready to enter into the booming naval shipbuilding sector,” Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said.
“Through this new program the Naval Shipbuilding College will identify cohorts of workers who have been displaced by the pandemic and provide them with the information and resources necessary to upskill and enter into this exciting sector.
“We are committed to working with the college to grow Australia’s shipbuilding workforce. We need 15,000 workers to carry out the Morrison government’s continuous naval shipbuilding program.”
This comes just days after the government awarded an additional 40 scholarships to engineering students from the Queensland University of Technology and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology via the National Naval Shipbuilding Pipeline Scholarship program.
The program, which is supported by the Naval Shipbuilding College, also aims to provide students with work placement and mentoring opportunities.
[Related: Defence awards swathe of new shipbuilding scholarships]
