TAFE Centre of Excellence to upskill workers for AUKUS

The Australian and SA Governments have announced a $28 million National Security TAFE Centre of Excellence will be established at TAFE SA’s Regency campus.

The governments say the Centre will develop training programs focused on improving Australia’s national security and information security readiness across electrotechnology, electronics and engineering training, while supporting workforce development in emerging industries through partnerships with employers, unions, universities and research institutes.

Upskilling SA’s current and future technicians to make them job ready to work on AUKUS will be a key focus of the Centre. This will include partnering with UK and US education institutes to transfer advanced technology training and developing new qualifications with industry relevant to Australia’s defence industry.

The training facility will allow tradies and apprentices to get hands on experience working on automated technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality tools to prepare them for occupations such as electricians, engineering technicians, mechanical fitters, welders and boilermakers, with a focus on how these workforces safeguard critical infrastructure.

The Centre will also train students and apprentices to address physical and digital threats to critical infrastructure and will support the defence, space, manufacturing, electronics and energy and water industries.

This will include developing new training courses and microcredentials to upskill tradies and apprentices on how to not fall victim to cyber criminals in an increasingly complex world, and how to prevent security threats when working on national security projects and infrastructure.

The Australian and SA Governments are each investing $14 million to establish the Centre, with a total investment of $28 million.

“We’re backing TAFEs to train the next generation of specialists, so South Australians have the skills to protect what matters most and drive the state’s future,” said Australian Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles. “TAFE Centres of Excellence will be engine rooms of innovation in vocational education, sharing best practice teaching and learning across the country through the National TAFE Network.”

“As South Australia and Australia’s defence industry ramps up for naval shipbuilding, nuclear-powered submarines, guided weapons and explosive ordnance, so too does the need to protect our supply chains from ever-increasing foreign interference,” said South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer. “TAFE SA is well placed as the largest provider of defence training in South Australia to deliver this new National Security Centre of Excellence, which will support Australia’s capacity to build and safeguard sovereign manufacturing capabilities.”

Image credit: iStock.com/Amorn Suriyan