Professor John Spoehr, Director of Flinders’ Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, says the AUKUS deal is a gargantuan project by international standards – and certainly a future employment game-changer in Australia.
“It’s much bigger than I think any of us thought it might be. It’s better to have a mountain of jobs than a valley of death,” says Professor Spoehr.
“This will translate into a substantial number of short-term jobs, but also long-term jobs related to the construction of new submarines in collaboration with the UK and US.
“The biggest early injection of investment that generates thousands of jobs is linked to expansion of the Osborne facility, and I don’t think we’ve seen a piece of infrastructure as large as this in South Australia.
“I’ve seen many shipyards around the world and this will rival the best of them. It will be the most modern shipyard in the world, once it’s been established. It will take a lot of skills from South Australia’s workforce to execute this project over the next three or four years.
“Surrounding every big shipbuilding project, such as the Frigate Project and the existing Collins class submarine project, a massive supply chain exists with thousands of suppliers, many being Australian suppliers.
“Therefore, this new submarine contract will require an extensive Australian supply base. It will also have an international supply base from the US and UK, but we must remember we already have quite a lot of experience building Collins class submarines in South Australia and have developed a really strong supply base around those submarines.
“Many more Australian suppliers will be able to take advantage of the new submarine project when it gets underway and become an active part of the new supply chain, which will benefit thousands more workers in various supply companies.
“This provides an enormous foundation for the next three years through high wages from high-skill jobs in advanced manufacturing. We need this in South Australia, after the loss of the automotive industry.
“A project of this magnitude provides secure work for thousands of highly skilled people. It will make a big difference to the State’s employment rate, to the security of our labour market and have beneficial ripple effects throughout the economy.
“While SA’s unemployment rate has been higher than the national average, I believe this project will see South Australia emerge with a very low unemployment rate.
“The partnership around submarine design and construction involves the US and the UK, so it’s important that we build on our established relationships with these countries to deliver smart education and training solutions.
“What Flinders has done, essentially, is to create an education AUKUS.
“This involves the University of Manchester, which is one of the lead universities in the UK in nuclear technology education, working with us to deliver its nuclear master’s programs and doctoral level training. This is an exclusive arrangement Flinders has put in place, which is terrific for Australia.
“The US has decades of experience in nuclear-powered submarines, and much of that expertise is centred at the University of Rhode Island. URI has enormous experience as a partner in General Dynamics Electric Boat submarine program, and Flinders has an agreement in place with URI to develop an undergraduate program.
“What we now have to do – and do quickly in South Australia – is roll out undergraduate and postgraduate programs for thousands of people who will be working in support of the AUKUS submarines.
“The manufacturing of submarines is one of the most advanced, sophisticated manufacturing challenges of our time. The Factory of the Future in the Tonsley Innovation District is the southern hemisphere’s pre-eminent place for developing highest-level skills and the latest in technology – and, as such, it is a jewel in the crown for South Australia.
“The major focus at Tonsley is automation, robotics and digital technologies. We’re experimenting with potential applications of different kinds of robots, automation and digital technologies for potential application in the shipyard. This work will be magnified by the AUKUS submarines project.
“It means that young people can look forward to very rewarding, very well-paid, very secure careers in shipbuilding in South Australia.
“The good news is that five new technical colleges will be established in South Australia over the next few years by the State Government. One will be based at Tonsley. These colleges will ensure that young people have the technical skills, knowledge and awareness to work in the shipbuilding sector, where job opportunities will be growing very rapidly.
“Other schools are responding by introducing very engaging STEM topics to their students. But we shouldn’t forget that while STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – is very important, there are also jobs in management, project management, law and commerce that require specialist degrees.
“There’s almost no job you can’t imagine that will not be associated with this kind of enterprise.”