South Australia has signed a new deal with the Commonwealth to ensure the supply of defence jobs to deliver on naval shipbuilding projects.
More than 4000 workers will be needed over the next four years for the construction and sustainment of the future Hunter class frigates and Attack class submarines to be built in Adelaide.
Thousands more jobs will also be created in the supply chain and supporting industries.
The new deal entrenches greater cooperation between the SA government and the federal government's Naval Shipbuilding College to provide the skilled labour required.
Premier Steven Marshall said the agreement demonstrated the government's commitment to creating thousands of defence jobs in South Australia.
"South Australia will be home to over $90 billion in continuous naval shipbuilding projects, with a projected lifespan of more than 50 years, resulting in thousands of skilled and professional jobs," he said.
"Meeting demands of this scale are only achievable through steadfast collaborative effort and dedicated programs, and that's what our partnership with NSC represents.
The agreement with NSC will target workforce development and business support strategies to boost the local shipbuilding and sustainment sectors.
Defence SA Chief Executive Richard Price said the state's pre-eminence in naval shipbuilding had motivated several multinational companies to come to South Australia.
That meant the maritime industry needed to work closely with the education and training sector, as well as with government, to create a sustainable and skilled workforce.
"By 2030, South Australia's workforce will be in full swing building the most complex naval shipbuilding projects our country has ever seen," Mr Price said.
"This workforce must be highly-skilled, agile and ready to work directly in key shipbuilding projects and across the supply chain."
"We need people filling roles in everything from project management to combat systems engineering, contracts management, information technology, health and safety, logistics marketing and communications."
