AUSTAL Australia has signed a three-year contract with Engineers Australia for the provision of support that will see global best practice workforce credentialing and membership offered to all Australia-based engineering employees.

Under the contract, Austal Australia has enrolled 55 of the company’s degree qualified, industry experienced engineers into Engineering Australia’s Chartership, which will lead them to national and internationally recognised certification of skills at the highest technical level.

Austal chief executive officer Paddy Gregg said the new partnership with Engineers Australia would help the company’s engineers achieve and maintain the industry’s highest possible credentials.

“We know we have the best engineers in the business, working in our teams across Australia; and now with Engineers Australia’s support, they will have their professional capabilities, expertise and credentials recognised by their industry peers, our customers and stakeholders,” Mr Gregg said.

“Our expanding relationship with Engineers Australia is delivering real value to our team, our customers and the broader Defence Industry; helping to build Australia’s sovereign capability.”

Engineers Australia chief executive officer Romily Madew said Austal had worked with Engineers Australia to build development pathways for its engineering workforce.

“The EWC partnership extends this relationship, benchmarking and aligning their workforce to this badge of global best practice, further strengthening their development pathway, engineering competencies and their workforce’s global mobility within the defence sector,” Ms Madew said.

Austal Australia’s engineers are working on multiple defence shipbuilding, systems, and sustainment projects at various locations in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, including the Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat Project and Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project for Defence Australia.