Rolls-Royce to back Australia’s AUKUS workforce strategy

September 11, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

British multinational aerospace and defense company Rolls-Royce has formalized new partnerships with the Western and South Australian Governments to boost defence workforce development under the AUKUS pact.

As informed, the company signed memoranda 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 defense sectors in each state.

Under the agreements, both Western and South Australian 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.

This marks a significant step forward in Australian preparations for the AUKUS submarine program, signed between Australia, the UK, and the USA, which will provide Australia with its first conventionally armed nuclear navy.

UK and Australia sign ‘historic’ 50-year Geelong Treaty for SSN-AUKUS program

Authorities

“Nuclear submarines bring unsurpassed endurance, range, stealth, power and reliability that still provide the absolute pinnacle of military advantage. These MOUs allow us to leverage our decades of experience to help Australia develop a talented workforce and inspire the next generation of Australian nuclear engineers,” Steve Carlier, Rolls-Royce Submarines President, said.

“A skilled workforce will be crucial to continuing our state’s leading role in defence project delivery to meet the nation’s growing security challenges, and work must begin on this now,” South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas commented.

The MoUs build on previous engagements, including Rolls-Royce Submarines’ visit to Australia in 2024, and the company’s announcement to double the size of its Derby site to support the AUKUS program.

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 the US.

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