Rolls-Royce Signs Skills Agreements in Support of AUKUS

Rolls-Royce has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with both Western and South Australian governments that outline a commitment to collaborate on workforce development, skills training, and critical technologies to support the growing defence sectors in each state.

This marks a significant step forward in Australian preparations for the AUKUS submarine program which will provide the nation with their first conventionally armed nuclear navy.

Under the agreements, both governments, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, will co-design and implement initiatives to build a highly-skilled workforce. There will be a particular focus on strengthening the STEM pipelines and addressing critical skills gaps for current and future defence projects.

Rolls-Royce has powered the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines for over 65 years and is expanding its Derby site to support both UK and Australian defence programs.

Rolls-Royce is the only private company in the world with the nuclear capability to manage reactor design, manufacture, and decommissioning within one single entity.

In March 2023, it was confirmed that Rolls-Royce Submarines would provide all the nuclear reactor plants that will power new attack submarines as part of the tri-lateral agreement between Australia, the UK and US.

In 2022, Rolls-Royce launched its award-winning Nuclear Skills Academy in partnership with the University of Derby. The academy takes on up to 200 apprentices each year, enabling a pipeline of talent at the start of their careers in support of the Royal Navy Submarines program.

Rolls-Royce Submarines currently employs more than 5,000 people and designs, manufactures and provides in-service support to the pressurised water reactors that power every boat in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.

Rolls-Royce is currently supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programs through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components.

It also provides frontline support across the world for reactor plant equipment from its Operations Centre in Derby and supports the submarines when in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and the naval bases at Devonport and Faslane.

In addition, there are technical specialists working in offices in Glasgow and Cardiff, with a unique test facility operating in Thurso, Scotland.