TAFE SA Courses - Vocational Training - Study with us online

Design, plan and build ships and submarines in Adelaide

Over the next 50 years two major naval shipbuilding projects will provide thousands of job opportunities for South Australians.

The Commonwealth Department of Defence has ordered:

Twelve new Shortfin Barracuda submarines designed by French company, Naval Group. The project is known as the Future Submarine Program or SEA1000.

Nine new navy frigates with anti-submarine capability. This is called the Future Frigates Program or SEA 5000.

Opportunities in the Defence Industry and Advanced Manufacturing

In the design phase of these projects jobs in high demand are likely to include draftspeople and detail designers; project and production planners; engineers and engineering technicians.

Detail design and drafting roles are likely to involve preparing 2D and 3D drawings and designs of the interior of naval vessels including pipework, ventilation, furniture, brackets and equipment.

Download the Defence and Shipbuilding Career Guide

TAFE SA accreditation for Naval Shipbuilding College

TAFE SA has become the first accredited training partner of the Naval Shipbuilding College in Australia, after the College endorsed the welding component of the Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication Trade (MEM30305).

Enrol now

BAE Systems Frigates win is a win for South Australian skills

BAE Systems’ selection as the preferred SEA 5000 Future Frigate tenderer will see the "Hunter class" global combat ships built in Adelaide by BAE Systems and ASC Shipbuilding, and will mean demand for shipbuilding skills will grow.

BAE held a Careers Showcase at TAFE SA’s Tonsley Campus last year and gave South Australians a sense of the wide range of career opportunities that will become available.

Careers of the future

Skilled workers will be needed in South Australia and across Australia to build and maintain:

New navy frigates
New submarines
Armoured vehicles
Communications and surveillance systems
Infrastructure and facilities.

This will increase demand for skilled workers who have:

Trade-training in welding and fabrication; electrotechnology; instrumentation and control; heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration; and other building and construction trades
Engineering design skills
Programming, electronics and cyber security
Laboratory operations and quality and safety monitoring
Logistics, purchasing and project management.

TAFE SA has a variety of qualifications that will help you gain the skills that employers need and that support what the Commonwealth calls, the ‘Workforce Behind the Defence Force’.

Please click on the image below to view full details for shipbuilding career opportunities.

58 Defence Courses

Arts and Design

Screen and Media 1 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Diploma Program in Simulation and Serious Games		12 months Full Time

Building and Construction

Airconditioning and Refrigeration 3 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate II Program in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways (Air-conditioning and Refrigeration)		6 weeks Full Time
Certificate III in Air-conditioning and Refrigeration		36 months Part Time
Certificate IV in Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Servicing		12 months Part Time

Building Trades 1 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Glass and Glazing		24 months Part Time

Electrical and Renewable Energy 8 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start)		3 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate II Program in Electrotechnology (Career Start for Women)		12 weeks Full Time
Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician		36 months Part Time
Certificate III in Instrumentation and Control		48 months Part Time
Certificate IV in Electrical - Instrumentation		18 months Part Time
Diploma of Electrical Engineering		36 months Part Time
Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Basic Programable Logic Controllers (PLC 1)		18 weeks Part Time

Plumbing and Water Operations 6 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Plumbing		36 months Part Time
Certificate III in Water Industry Operations (Networks)		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate III in Water Industry Treatment (Drinking water)		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate III in Water Industry Treatment (Wastewater)		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (Operations)		24 months Part Time
Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (Hydraulic Services Design)		24 months Part Time

Signwriting, Painting and Decorating 2 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Painting and Decorating		12 months Part Time
Certificate III in Signs and Graphics		36 months Part Time

Business and Marketing

Accounting and Bookkeeping 4 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Accounts Administration		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Accounting		18 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Advanced Diploma of Accounting		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Management 8 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate IV in Project Management Practice		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Human Resources		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Leadership and Management		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Project Management		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Human Resources Management		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Leadership and Management		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Advanced Diploma of Management (Human Resources)		18 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management		18 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Work Health and Safety 2 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety		12 months Part Time
Diploma of Work Health and Safety		24 months Part Time

Information Technology

Digital Literacy 2 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate I in Information, Digital Media and Technology		3 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate II in Information, Digital Media and Technology		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Digital Media 1 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Diploma of Digital Media Technologies		18 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

IT Support 3 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Information Technology		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Advanced Diploma of Computer Systems Technology		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Networking and Security 4 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate IV in Cyber Security		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate IV in Information Technology Networking		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Information Technology Networking		18 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Advanced Diploma of Network Security		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Software Development 2 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate IV in Programming		12 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Software Development		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Mining, Engineering and Automotive

Civil, Structural and Mechanical Engineering 5 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade		48 months Part Time
Certificate III in Engineering - Technical		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Diploma of Engineering - Advanced Trade		18 months Part Time
Diploma of Engineering - Technical		18 months Full Time
Associate Degree in Civil and Structural Engineering (Design Drafting)		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Electronics and Communications 2 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate II in Electronics		6 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Associate Degree in Electronic Engineering		24 months Full Time or Part Time equivalent

Manufacturing and Welding 4 Defence

Course Name		Duration
Certificate II in Engineering Pathways		10 weeks Full Time or Part Time equivalent
Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication Trade		48 months Part Time
Certificate IV in Engineering		24 months Part Time
Welder Supervisor Course (Cert 10 & AS2214) leading to WTIA Certification		160 hours Part Time

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