Strengthening Victoria’s role in Australia’s AUKUS future

Rolls-Royce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Victorian Government to boost the state’s defence skills, supply chains and innovation ecosystem in support of the AUKUS submarine program.

The partnership will focus on developing nuclear expertise, with plans under discussion to establish Rolls-Royce-affiliated skills and training academies in Victoria. These would build on the success of the company’s award-winning Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby, UK which has trained up to 200 apprentices each year since 2022.

In collaboration with Victorian universities, the agreement will also explore the creation of Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres and research clusters, further embedding advanced research and industry links in the state.

Professor Michael Preuss of Materials Science and Engineering says "We are pleased at the news of the announcement of the MoU between Rolls-Royce and Victoria. We enjoy a long-standing relationship with Rolls-Royce, undertaking research in a number of areas vital to their AUKUS-related activities."

He continues "Rolls-Royce already sponsors, and provides industrial supervision, for a number of PhD projects at Monash, and we hope this collaboration will substantially grow with this strengthening of ties."

Following similar agreements in Western and South Australia, this marks another step forward in Australia’s preparations to operate conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Read the full article in Manufacturers'​ Monthly here.