Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector is set for a significant expansion following a $3.9 billion investment in the Submarine Construction Yard at Osborne, with Weld Australia describing the announcement as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the nation’s manufacturing capability.
In a news release, Weld Australia welcomed the Albanese and Malinauskas Governments’ commitment, which forms part of a projected $30 billion infrastructure program over coming decades under the AUKUS agreement.
The investment will support construction of Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines and is expected to create nearly 10,000 jobs across South Australia.
Weld Australia, the peak body representing the country’s welding industry, said the scale of the project represents a defining moment for sovereign industrial capability.
“This is nation-building at its most strategic,” said Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia. “The scale of what’s planned for Osborne is extraordinary; 126,000 tonnes of structural steel, 66 million construction man hours, fabrication halls stretching 420 metres. Welding and fabrication sit at the heart of every single element of that delivery.”
The new Submarine Construction Yard will include fabrication, outfitting, consolidation, testing and commissioning facilities, as well as a Skills and Training Academy designed to support up to 1,000 learners per year.
According to Weld Australia, welding capability will be central not only to the construction of the yard itself, but also to the decades-long build and sustainment of the submarine fleet.
“Welding isn’t just part of the construction phase. It underpins the entire submarine lifecycle,” Crittenden said. “From high-integrity structural steelwork to precision nuclear-class fabrication and long-term sustainment, certified welders and welding supervisors are fundamental to sovereign defence capability.”
The organisation said the scale and duration of the project require coordinated national workforce planning to ensure training, certification and industry capability align with defence manufacturing requirements.
“We’re looking at a pipeline of work that will span decades. That’s incredibly positive, but it also demands long-term planning,” Crittenden said.
“If we want to fully capitalise on AUKUS, we must align training, certification and industry capability now.”
Weld Australia said it is working with industry, training providers and government agencies to strengthen certification pathways, improve welder productivity and ensure quality systems meet defence standards.
“This is not just about building submarines. It’s about lifting Australia’s industrial capability across the board, in defence, energy, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing,” Crittenden said.
“When we invest in welding skills, we invest in productivity, safety and sovereign resilience.”
The organisation also confirmed it will continue discussions at the National Manufacturing Summit in Adelaide on 29 and 30 July, bringing together defence primes, SMEs, policymakers and training providers to address workforce development, supply chain readiness and quality compliance in defence manufacturing.
