Up to 200 ASC shipbuilders working on the near complete Air Warfare Destroyer program at Osborne in SA will be retained and upskilled for future shipbuilding work under a package agreed to by the Federal Government.
The workers will be either transitioned to Collins class submarine sustainment work conducted by ASC Submarines or into the Future Submarine office providing project management support as construction for the third and final air warfare destroyer (Sydney) winds down. They will also undertake training and upskilling to support the future naval construction programs, namely Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and Future Frigates, with the former due to cut steel next year.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said as many as 100 scholarships would be offered to workers to support opportunities to upskill in roles in operations management, computer-aided design, and engineering and supply chain fields.
ASC Shipbuilding was selected to build the first two Luerssen designed OPVs in Osborne under the Sea 1180 tender announced on 24th November.