6 years ago
LIBS NAVAL SHIPBUILDING COLLEGE: A YEAR IN, SIX MONTHS BEHIND
THE HON RICHARD MARLES MP
The Liberal Government today announced that they would continue missing their own deadline to get their Naval Shipbuilding College off the ground.
The Government spent months pointing the finger at TAFE SA for their failure to get the College started. Somehow, the South Australian election has magicked those concerns away.
On 26 May 2017 Minister Pyne announced the Naval Shipbuilding College would commence operations in Adelaide on 1 January 2018.
“The Naval Shipbuilding College will commence operations on 1 January 2018.”
CHRISTOPHER PYNE – MEDIA RELEASE – 26 MAY 2017
Today, the Government announced a successful tenderer for the College – but not a start date.
All we heard was that the College will start enrolments sometime after June.
Australia needs a skilled workforce to deliver the Defence capabilities we need. Australian workers need skills so they can be a part of these crucial projects.
The Turnbull Government’s record on skills and training is abysmal. They’ve lost more than 140,000 Australian apprenticeships so far.
The $90 billion continuous shipbuilding program will need 25,000 skilled workers. Without a functioning Shipbuilding College, without a national skills plan to maximise employment of Australian workers, how many Australian workers will miss out?
The Liberals must release a business plan showing how they will maximise Australian content on our shipbuilding projects; how and where the necessary skills will be developed; and how the skills will be available in time for Australian industry and workers to take part in this once-in-a-generation opportunity.