Hunter frigate apprentices sail to next stage of their career

BAE Systems Australia has announced that the first 16 apprentices employed on the Hunter Class Frigate Program in Adelaide have graduated high school, and are now approaching the next step in their apprenticeship journey.

From next year, they’ll be working full-time in a shipyard purpose-built for the project by the federal government.

The apprentices, at Adelaide’s Osborne naval shipyard, officially signed their new contracts this week.

According to the company, in just a few years, they’ll be fully-fledged tradespeople on Australia’s largest ever surface shipbuilding program.

BAE Systems Maritime Australia managing director Craig Lockhart said: “Next year we’ll have our apprentices working full time in the shipyard alongside our seasoned and experienced naval shipbuilders who have built some of the most capable warships in our nation’s fleet.

“The experience and training they will gain will set them up for a long and rewarding career in the defence industry.”

BAE Systems Maritime Australia, formally known as ASC Shipbuilding, will deliver nine Hunter class frigates, with work underway for the prototyping stage.

The Hunter program will create and sustain more than 5,000 jobs across BAESMA and the wider Australian defence supply chain, including 1,000 apprentice and graduate roles.

Picture: BAE Systems Australia

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