Australia faces looming nuclear skills challenge to support Aukus submarines
Pact with US and UK poses challenge to educate, train and recruit necessary personnel, experts say.
The Guardian News
Australia will need to significantly scale up local nuclear education and training to build sufficient expertise for the multi-decade Aukus submarine plan, experts say.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is expected to unveil the plan on Tuesday morning AEDT, with the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the US president, Joe Biden.
The Australian government estimates that Aukus will support 20,000 jobs over 30 years, across the Australian Defence Force, the public service and private industry.
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It poses a looming challenge to educate, train and recruit the necessary personnel, but experts say Australia has a good base from which to expand its nuclear industry.
Dr Patrick Burr, a senior lecturer in nuclear engineering at the University of New South Wales, said “we definitely have a healthy nuclear industry in Australia, but it’s often overlooked”, citing nuclear safeguards and research into nuclear materials, nuclear medicine and waste. “On the other hand … it needs to grow manyfold.”
Prof Gregory Lane, who convenes the master of nuclear science program at the Australian National University, agrees. “There’s a lot of knowledge about nuclear science. It’s required in all sorts of different areas: mining, health, sterilisation of materials for general industry, industrial gauging.”
The Lucas Heights nuclear research reactor in Sydney. Experts say Australia needs to expand its nuclear expertise for the Aukus submarine pact with US and UK. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP
Pact with US and UK poses challenge to educate, train and recruit necessary personnel, experts say.
The Guardian News
Australia will need to significantly scale up local nuclear education and training to build sufficient expertise for the multi-decade Aukus submarine plan, experts say.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is expected to unveil the plan on Tuesday morning AEDT, with the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the US president, Joe Biden.
The Australian government estimates that Aukus will support 20,000 jobs over 30 years, across the Australian Defence Force, the public service and private industry.
Virginia class nuclear-powered submarine
Aukus: 10 things we need to know about Australia’s nuclear submarine program
Read more
It poses a looming challenge to educate, train and recruit the necessary personnel, but experts say Australia has a good base from which to expand its nuclear industry.
Dr Patrick Burr, a senior lecturer in nuclear engineering at the University of New South Wales, said “we definitely have a healthy nuclear industry in Australia, but it’s often overlooked”, citing nuclear safeguards and research into nuclear materials, nuclear medicine and waste. “On the other hand … it needs to grow manyfold.”
Prof Gregory Lane, who convenes the master of nuclear science program at the Australian National University, agrees. “There’s a lot of knowledge about nuclear science. It’s required in all sorts of different areas: mining, health, sterilisation of materials for general industry, industrial gauging.”
The Lucas Heights nuclear research reactor in Sydney. Experts say Australia needs to expand its nuclear expertise for the Aukus submarine pact with US and UK. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP
2 yr. ago
