ASC has increased its Western Australian workforce as part of a major national effort to support Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability.
“We know that around 70% of our future workforce will need to be developed internally, so we have an enormous focus on developing and expanding our apprenticeship, graduate and traineeship programs,” ASC Chief Capability Officer, Danielle Bull, said.
The expansion has been driven by the growing demand for submarine sustainment services, including work on visiting US and UK submarines under the Submarine Rotational Force – West (SRF-W) program, and the eventual maintenance of Australia’s own Virginia Class and SSN-AUKUS submarines.
“Whether you’re an aspiring or emerging engineer, technician, trades specialist or support professional, that represents an incredible opportunity for you to pursue your goals – and contribute to Australia’s sovereign submarine capability – with ASC," Bull stated.
The Federal Government’s “Jobs for Subs” initiative will also add around 200 new entry-level roles into ASC’s WA operations over two years, focusing on high-priority trades such as fabrication, machining, and engineering.
An additional 250 people in WA – more than one person per day – are expected to join by to June 2026 according to current demand forecast:
- 10 per cent needed to support maintenance of the Collins Class submarines
- 10 per cent needed to support establishment of the Nuclear-Capable Drydock
- 80 per cent needed to support sustainment of the US-built Virginia Class submarines
Of the 250 new roles, the breakdown of the roles that need to be filled are as follows:
- Corporate support: People and culture professionals, analysts, IT specialists
- Submarine platform training instructors: Submarine Training School personnel
- Engineering: Test engineers, and configuration change management engineers
- Supply chain: Procurement and inventory specialists
- Operations: Planning specialists
- Program management: Project and program managers, project engineers, and administrative support.
In 2025, ASC has allegedly welcomed more than 70 early careers employees in WA – including 40 graduates, 13 undergraduates, and 21 apprentices.
In 2026, ASC will welcome at least 65 early careers employees in WA, including:
- 11 apprentices, specifically fabrication, mechanical, electrical and machining apprentices
- 33 graduates, in the fields of engineering, project management, supply chain, people and culture, and safety, risk and finance
- 11 trainees, specifically engineering, planning, security and safety trainees
- 10 undergraduates in engineering.
By 2030, more than 700 new roles will join the Western Australian workforce on current estimates. By 2037, ASC’s workforce is estimated to reach nearly 3,000 people employed in WA, including more than 2,000 new roles. That total workforce figures has included employees working on the Collins Class submarines and the Virginia Class submarines.
Over the longer term, the breakdown of the available roles will include:
- Engineering: Mechanical engineering, safety and certification, electrical engineering, engineering management
- Operations: Electrical operations, mechanical operations, operators, operations support, piping operations, nuclear operations, light fabrication, welding operations
- Program management: Project management, project cost, scheduling and estimating
- Supply chain: Warehousing and logistics, purchasing and subcontracts, AIC industrialisation, inventory
- Support: Security, human resources, IT, work health, safety and environment, training services.
ASC’s recruitment campaign in WA commenced in July 2025.
Australia’s submarine company, ASC, has been selected as the Australian Government’s Sovereign Submarine Partner to sustain and jointly build conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines in Australia.
Prior to the acquisition of Australia’s own sovereign Virginia Class submarines, ASC will provide sustainment support for visiting US Virginia Class submarines, and UK submarines at Garden Island, WA.
This work, undertaken by the newly-established SRF-W, will commence with a rotational presence of US and UK conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines in 2027.
ASC personnel have been undergoing Virginia sustainment training, including on-the-job training deployments at the Pearl Harbor shipyard in Hawaii. ASC currently has more than 180 team members training in Hawaii – it is believed this will reach more than 300 people, according to the company.
Each of these employees will return to WA at the conclusion of their training to join SRF-W.